The Possessed
by gurl3677
Summary: She is possessed by something evil and supernatural. They have been asked to help save her, to call upon their faith, but one of them is struggling to believe in anything anymore. If she can't be saved then they will be forced to kill her. Do they have the strength to do what they must? Can he believe in something again? Murphy/OC
1. Chapter 1

_* In order of St Patrick's Day, I decided to launch my new BSD story! This story is going to be a complete challenge for me and out of my comfort zone. It's going to be different than my other stories.*_

The old priest drove down the dirt road slowly, squinting to see through the darkness. He pulled his car up to the cabin that sat on a sheep farm, parking in front of the porch stairs. Rain pelted his windshield as his wipers struggled to keep up with the wetness. He gripped the steering wheel and stared at the door to the cabin as it opened. First, the old man with a white beard stepped out. Following him were his sons, twins. Both had long hair and matching beards. Both were dressed in dark jeans and dark, bulky sweaters. They were his last hope, her last hope. If they couldn't help him, and couldn't help her, no one could.

" Why's he just sitting in there?" Murphy asked as he leaned his side against the door frame. He reached deep into his left pocket and pulled out a hand rolled cigarette.

" Aye? Why doesn't he just come out already?" Connor asked, his back came to rest against the other side of the door frame so he was facing his brother's back. He reached into his own pocket and took out a smoke for himself.

" Give him time, Boys." Duce said.

At the same time, the brothers brought lighters up after placing the hand rolls into their mouths. Their heads dipped down as their hands made cups to shield their smokes from the cold wind. Both inhaled as the flames touched the ends. Murphy, never taking his eyes from the priest in the car, tilted his head up and exhaled. Connor turned his to the side and exhaled. The next minute the car door opened and the priest stepped out. He touched the brim of his hat to tilt it down as he closed the door, protecting his face from the rain. He clutched his coat to him, quickly making his way to the MacManus' men.

" Thank you for meeting with me." Father McMalloy said, climbing up the stairs quickly.

" Aye, you said it was important." Duce said. The priest moved under the porch roof and shook the rain away from his old frame.

" Can we go inside to talk?" He asked.

" Aye." Duce said.

Connor and Murphy turned and talked back into the cabin, sparing each other glances. Duce followed in next with Father McMalloy bring up the rear. The twins sat down across from each other at the old, pitted wooden table, both only half way through their smokes. Duce took his seat at the head of the table, with his back to the fireplace. A small fire crackled and cast an almost angelic glow to his frame. The priest closed the door to the cabin and walked over to the table, sitting directly across from Duce. He was Murphy's left and Connor's right.

" You want some coffee or tea, Father?" Murphy asked quietly.

" No, but thank you." Father McMalloy said quickly. Both Connor and Murphy raised their eyebrows as they brought their smokes up to their lips again.

" What is this late night visit about?" Duce asked.

" I received a phone call, from a man in American." The priest started. " His daughter is ill. He went to the church there for help and he asked the Vatican as well but was turned down."

" What's wrong with her?" Connor asked, rubbing out his smoke in the handmade ashtray.

" The man used to live here. We grew up together and maintain a friendship. He reached out to me because he fears for her life." Father McMalloy said.

" And what does this have to do with us?" Murphy asked, bring down his hand to snub out his own smoke.

" What is wrong with her?" Duce asked. The priest met his strong eyes with his own worried filled ones.

" He believes she is possessed." He said. Again Connor and Murphy looked at each other. Amusement glint between the two of them as smiles threaten to overtake their faces. Possession was something the old ones threaten the wee ones with to keep them in line. Neither twin had ever actually met someone who claimed to be possessed and the idea of it actually happening made them want to laugh.

" By what?" Connor asked.

" A demon and I know how it sounds!" The old priest rushed forward to say. " But he sent me recording of her when the demons take control and I believe him. He's not a man that tells tales. He's honest, hardworking doctor. Even as children, he was not one to tell lies." Father McMalloy ran a hand down his face and exhaled sharply.

" A demon, you say?" Murphy asked after clearing his throat.

" Let us hear the recording." Duce said. The priest nodded and produced a a small tape recorder from his pocket. With his hands shaking, he set it on the table and pressed the play button.

" Help me!" A young woman's scream rang out as all four men looked at the tape recorder. The priest clasped his hands together in prayer form and brought them to his mouth.

" Aye, Love, I'm trying!" Said a man quickly. A series of screams ripped through the air. It sounded as if four different people all screaming at the same time. " Let her go!" The man yelled.

" Let her go!" A very demonic voice sounded, clearly mocking the first man.

" She is ours!" Another voice screamed.

" Forever!" Yet another scream.

" She has done nothing to you!" The first man yelled. A another sound of screams rang out, making the priest close his eyes and clutch at his rosary. Murphy and Connor frowned together. Both their arms were on the table and theirs hands were in fists. Duce frowned and closed his eyes.

" Please!" The young woman screamed.

" We will fuck her until she dies!" The first demonic voice screamed.

" There is nothing you can do!" Second voice.

" Get that cross away from us or we will hurt her more!" The third screamed. out. A second went by before four screams were heard at once. Just below the screaming the first man could be heard, muttering a prayer.

" We will gut her like a fish!"

" And play with what's inside!"

" And make you watch!"

The screams reached a higher level and made the twins sit back quickly. Father McMalloy started to pray. Duce shook his head slowly. Connor and Murphy stared at the recorder then at once the screams were cut out and all they could hear was the first man crying and praying. The brothers raised their eyes to look at each other. They leaned in closer and caught the soft sounds of whimpering.

" Please." It was the young woman again. She was crying and whispering. " Please help me. I can't go on like this."

" They are gone for now. Sleep." The first man whispered.

" Kill me." The young woman whispered. The priest reached forward and clicked off the recording. He looked up and caught Duce's eyes.

" What can we do?" Duce asked.

" He is bring his daughter here, to Ireland. The church wouldn't give her exorcism but I am convinced that if we surround her with most faithful, we can push the demons from her body and save her soul. I need a place for her to stay, some place private and away from the public." The priest asked.

" You want her to stay here?" Connor asked.

" Aye. When the demons take her over, she is most dangerous. We need to be able to tie her down, which you can do in the barn and you are alone out here so no one will hear her screams." The priest explained.

" When are they coming?" Duce asked.

" Tomorrow morning. Their flight lands at 11." Father McMalloy said.

" How is she flying?" Murphy asked.

" My friend owns his own jet." The priest said.

" Why is he just now reaching out for help?" Connor asked.

" In one month it will be her birthday. She will be 33." The priest said.

" That was when age of Jesus when he died." Murphy commented.

" Aye. The demons had promised to kill her on her birthday, condemning her soul for all of time." The Father said.

" How long as this be going on?" Connor asked.

" Six months but it is getting worst. She is hardly eating now because the demons make her throw everything up. She sleeps only a few hours a day and now they are making her hurt herself." Father McMalloy answered.

" Forgive me for this, Father," Murphy started. " but how do we know she isn't faking all this?"

" Because I have faith in my friend. If he says she is possessed, she is possessed." The priest said. Worry and stress was clearly written all over his face. " I have spoken with her. When I started to pray, the demons took over and I..." The priest's face fell as he brought his hands to it again. He shook his head and started to cry, making the brothers look from his face to each other. With a quick rub to his eyes, the priest dropped his hands and shook his head. " I have never heard anything like that before." He cried out softly.

" What is her name?" Duce asked gently.

" Tatum." The priest said as he struggled to get himself under control.

" And her father?" Duce asked.

" Brian." The priest said, making Duce nod.

" Bring the lass and her da here when they land. We will help you and the family." He said.

" Brian has asked that if I can't rid the demons from her that I help..." His voice trailed off, leaving the statement hanging in the air as the brothers looked to each other again. Duce nodded once again.

" If we can not save her, we will kill her before her birthday." He said. " We wouldn't let her soul be damned."

" Thank you." The priest said softly. " I can't thank you enough for this. I thought and prayed hard on this and the Lord told me this was the right place for me to come. He told me you would help us."


	2. Chapter 2

_* Please Review! So you guys know that I read a lot and do research for my stories and this one is no different. This is uncomfortable for me because it scares me but this story has been on my mind for a long time and I finally just decided to write it. I am reading about possessions and how the people acted and felt and will bring that here. I hope you guys will like Tatum. She's not like other OCs. Shess not going to be super tough or strong. She's not a wimp or a whiner but something scary and painful is happening to her so she will cry at times, at others, she will try and hold herself together._

_**Azalia Fox:**__ I did not see the Last Exorcism because I was to scared. I saw Exorcising of Emily Rose and was like, nope, no more exorcism movies for me! We were in the theater for that movie and a girl had a seizure. It was crazy!_

_**Caffiend:**__ Yeah for you being back! I loved him too so I brought him to this story!_

_**Leyshla:**__ Im alil scared of this story, I will be honest but I just feel like it has to be told._

_**VeritasKym:**__ Did you find me on instagram? What is your name there and I will follow you._

_**Reedusfan, NikixXx, Tazsgirl6969:**__ thank you!_

_**LovinNormanschesttat:**__ I hope so*_

Connor and Murphy were sitting on their porch steps with their dad sitting behind them in his rocker the next morning. Duce was smoking his pipe while the brothers were smoking their cigarettes, cups of coffee sitting beside their legs. Dust was kicking up from the dirt road leading to their cabin as an ambulance made its way towards them. Glances went between the brothers as they threw out their smokes at the same time. Both grabbed their cups and took deep and long drinks before setting the cups back down again. They stood up as one with Murphy putting his hands into his pockets. Connor shook out his shoulders then placed his hands into his own pockets. Behind them, Duce rose up and the three men waited.

The ambulance pulled up directly in front of the cabin and stopped. The priest's car came to rest beside it. The side doors open and two men exited the ambulance and walked around to the back as the priest made his way to the porch. He cast a few nervous glances to the ambulance as the back doors were open. Duce came forward to meet him.

" Brian paid for a private escort here. As far as anyone is concerned, his daughter has a terminally ill and has come here to die." Father McMalloy explained.

They looked out as a tall man with salt and pepper hair stepped out. The men reached in and started to pull a bed out. The man was giving them orders as the wheels of the bed were kicked down. He had his back to the twins and was holding onto the railings of the bed, staring down at the figure huddled under a few blankets. Murphy leaned to the side to see if he could see better. Connor followed his example but the girl's face was hidden from view.

" Thank you." Brian said with a light Irish accent. " I can settle her in from here." He shook hands with the men then moved to the head of the bed. The doors to the ambulance was closed as he started to pull the bed towards the cabin.

" Help him, boys." Duce said softly. Connor and Murphy pulled their hands from their pockets and started towards the man and the bed.

" Can we help you?" Connor asked carefully. Brian looked over to them and offered a very tired, a very stressed, smile.

" Aye, thank you." He said. " We only have an hour before the sedation I gave her wears off." Connor moved to the right side of the bed while Murphy came to the left. They took a hold of the railings and looked down at the girl as they helped move the bed. The blankets were pulled so far up over her face, that they couldn't see what she looked like, just yet. " We need to take her to the barn quickly." Murphy looked at Brian with a small frown.

" The barn? Right now? It's raining." He said at the ambulance started to pull away. The priest had said she would need to be in the barn but Murphy hadn't really thought they would head there right away.

" Aye. When she wakes, the demons will take her over right away. They hate it when I sedate her and will be very angry." Brian said sadly.

" Then to the barn we go." Duce said, coming up to the end of the bed.

The four men moved the bed, and small figure under a mound of blankets. Priest McMalloy followed behind, clutching his old bible to his chest with his rosary dangling down his neck. It was cold and rainy so they thought Brian was protecting his daughter from the elements but, and they moved through the yard and towards the barns, both twins couldn't help but wonder what she looked like. They were men, after all, and she was a female, and neither brother had even so much as kissed a girl in longer than they cared to admit. Doing the Lord's work put a damper on their dating lives.

" As soon as we are inside, before they wake, I need to strap her by her wrists. If I don't, the demons will make her attack us. Please remember that what you see isn't my daughter and how she acts usually. She isn't like this. She doesn't say the things the demons make her say so please don't think ill of her." Brian said.

" We understand." Duce said.

" How will we know they are taking her over?" Murphy asked. Brian glanced behind him to make sure the grass was clear and he won't trip before he looked back to the twin.

" A growling noise will come out of her seconds before the demons make their presence known." He explained.

When they reached the barn, Priest McMalloy hurried ahead of them to open the doors. They moved into the darkness of the barn, with Duce pulling away to hit the lights The barn was flooded with lights as the bed was moved to the center of the room. Brian drew in a hard breath then stopped walking. He took a hold of the blankets and started to pull them down from his daughter. He folded them down until her face and upper body was exposed. The brothers moved down so they were standing by her legs.

The young woman was laying on her right side and was wearing a tee shirt, a pair of jeans and little black shoes with the name Vans written on the sides. Her hair reached her neck but there were uneven layers all through the strands. Her arms were covered in a series of healing bruises, cuts and scabs. Yellows and black and blue marks marred every inch of the skin that they could see. Her neck had a bruise around it as if someone had strangled her. Her face was pale and her lips were washed out. The skin under her eyes also looked bruised and there was a small healing cut across her left cheek. Brian reached down and ran his hand through her hair.

" We had to cut her hair. Before I started strapping her to the bed, she got a hold of scissors and cut away sections of it. I kept it as long as I could. She loved it long and always hated short hair." He said softly.

" And the bruises?" Murphy asked as he stared down at her.

" They make her self harm. They make her pinch or strangle herself. They have also cut her face, her stomach and her chest. They stabbed her and I had to give her stitches once. When she sleeps, I clean her up and tend to her wounds." Brian said as he continued to stroke her hair. " The marks on her wrists are from the straps. They pull at them hard, trying to break them but they are the straps we use at the hospital to restrain people. They don't give easily."

" How did this happen?" Duce asked.

" We never know why demons choose the ones they do." Priest McMalloy said, coming up to Murphy's right side, by her head.

" When they wake, they will be angry. She has been out for hours. I put her under before we left for the airport and have kept her under. They will kick, scream, and try and hurt her as punishment. From the best I can see, if she is sedated, then they can't do anything. They are just as affected by the meds as she is." Brian explained.

" How often she is sedated?" Connor asked as his eyes took in the marks that littered her exposed skin.

" I mostly do it at night, so she can rest. They won't let her sleep on her own." Brian explained.

For the next hour, Brian rubbed her head with the priest standing beside him. Duce stood at the end of the bed and the brothers paced slowly through the barn. Connor frowned, Murphy rubbed his bottom lip. No one was talking. Tension was thick and heavy in the air. Everyone but Duce seemed nervous than again, the eldest MacManus never seemed nervous.

At the end of the hour, a low growl started to raise up from the bed.

" They are coming. We have to hurry." Brian said, taking a hold of Tatum's shoulders.

He gently guided her to her back then moved to her right side. The boys came back to the bed as Brian hurried to strap her wrist in. Connor was at her right and Murphy was at her left, again, standing by her legs. Everyone watched the father reach across the daughter's body as the growling grew louder. He strapped in her left wrist then moved the head of the bed again. Thr brothers looked at each other then back at her.

" What..." Connor started to say as her eyes popped open. She started to frown as she looked to her right then tilted her head back to at her father. Her head turned with her eyes sweeping over Duce then Murphy and then hitting the priest. At once her body tensed.

" What have you done!" The first demonic voice screamed as her arms came up.

The boys jumped back quickly. The straps kept her in place but didn't stop her head and shoulders from raising up off the bed. Her body twisted towards the priest who clasp his hands together. He dipped his head down as she snapped her jaws and growled at him. Her entire body was struggling, with her legs kicking against the bed. The straps scrapped against the railing of the bed as she fought against them.

" Heavenly Father.." The priest started in a prayer.

" Heavenly Father please come down and fuck my mouth! Fill me with your heavenly seed!" The second demonic voice screamed. She snapped at him again, trying to bite at the priest while her legs continued to kick and push against the bed. Duce grabbed at her ankles, causing his sons to react. They grabbed at her legs, pinning them and drawing her attention to the family of men at once.

" Who the fuck are you!" The third voice screamed.

Brian grabbed at her head and forced it back down as her body continued to fight with strenght she should not have. The straps rattled against the metal frame of the bed. Her breaths left her chest in wild pants and her hands opened and closed as she tried to twist out of the MacManus' hard grips. She growled, snarled and snapped at at her father.

" Let her go!" Brian yelled.

" Let her go! Let her go!" The first voice screamed. " She belongs to us!"

" She belongs to the Lord." The priest said, reaching into his pocket. She kicked her legs again, twisted from side to side, pulled at the straps and spitting up at her dad.

" Hold her." Duce ordered to his sons. They pushed down on her legs, trying to hold her still.

" Tell me, Father, " The second voice started as her eyes found the priest again " how many little boys have you fucked in their ass this week?"

" How many boys have taken your cock deep and sucked you until you exploded!" The third screamed.

" We will make her our whore!" The first screamed. The priest pulled out a bottle and took off the cap, replacing it back into his pocket. " And she will love it! She will beg us to fuck her!"

" She is a child of God and you do not have permission to use her body like this." Father McMalloy said as he shook the bottle slightly, dotting the Holy water over her face. The second the drops touched her, her entire body bowed in pain and all three demons screamed out so loud the brothers jumped. She threw her head back, arched her back and dug her heels into the bed. Her hands went into tight fists.

" It burns!" The voices screamed together. She fought the straps, twisted and screamed over and over again as the priest prayed louder and louder. The bed shook under her body as she fought and kicked. The screams grew louder and louder, drowning at the priest as she squeezed her eyes shut.

" What the fuck!" Murphy yelled.

" Why is she screaming like that?" Connor yelled.

" Hold her legs!" Duce ordered.

" Stop praying!" The three voice screamed out and melted together. Brian bowed his head as he struggled to her upper body against the bed. His tears slipped from his eyes and hit her face as the priest prayed harder. " Please!" The priest slapped his bible down on her stomach. Her body jerked violently and the screams started to change. No longer did it sound like three demonic voices anymore. It was one voice. One female voice that caused Brian to dropped his head down to her face. His hands came to her cheeks as he pushed the strands of her hair out of her eyes.

" Tatum! Tatum, it's Da!" He started saying. " Open your eyes, my wee babe!" She started to whimper loudly but her struggles lessen. Her legs started to relax under the boys' grip. Her eyes flew open as Brian let go of her head. She looked around her with a look of pure terror on her face as her head raised up off the bed again. Her face and upper body were drenched in sweat and she was still panting.

" Where am I!" She cried out. She looked to the priest and almost collapsed onto the bed. " Father?" Priest McMalloy nodded and leaned down.

" Aye. I'm Father McMalloy. You are safe now." He said gently as he ran one hand through her hair. Brian stepped away from the bed and covered his face with his hands as he crouched down to cry quietly.

" I heard your prayers." She cried as she stared at the priest like he was her life line.

" Where are they now?" The priest asked. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

" I don't know." She sodded out quietly. " I don't know where they go when they leave but it doesn't matter. They always come back." She opened her eyes to look back at him after a few seconds.

" When will they come back?" The priest asked.

" A few hours, six at the most. I will know when they are coming. It's like a heaviness comes across me and I can't breath." She whispered. " Why...why am I here?" She started to cry again as the priest stroked her head.

" Your father has brought you here for protection. You are with the Saints now, Child. They have been chosen by the Lord himself to do his work. We will rid the demons from you." He said.

" And if you can't? Will you kill me? Please?" She asked with her eyes locked on his. " You have to kill me before they do. If they kill me, I will go to hell."

" How do you know that?" Murphy asked without thinking. Her eyes darted to his face as she swallowed hard.

" They whisper inside my head. If they kill me, they can own my soul but if I die in some other way, it will be free. If they kill me when I turn 33, I belong to them." She whispered before looking back at the priest. "And they have such horrible plans for me." She said as she started to cry again.

" Don't worry, Child. Before your birthday the Saints will end your suffering and send you back to the Heavenly Father, where you belong." The priest soothed.

" In my dreams, he sends angels to me. The angel, Michael, says there is a plan for me and that I have to endure this. He said the Lord heals my prays and my cries, knows what is happening to me but that I have to go through this. He said the Lord has bigger plans that I am apart of and that my struggles are to save another." She whispered with her eyes fluttering shut.

" Who? Who is going to be saved?" The priest asked with a small frown. Tatum shook her head slowly.

" I don't know his name. Michael showed me his face once but it was in a shadow and I couldn't see it well." She whispered before she relaxed. Brian wiped at his face and stood up, taking his place at the top of the bed again. His hands came to her face where he started to wipe away the sweat and tears on her cheeks and forehead. She shivered before her breathing slowed completely down.

" She will sleep for a half hour or so. That's all she can manage when she's not sedated, then I need to help her shower and we will have to force her to eat then bring her back here." He said.

" She can stay in the house." Duce said. Brian shook his head slowly, looking across the bed to meet the other man's eyes.

" I need this hosptial bed so I can strap her to it. I tried to strap her to a bed with a wood frame once but the demons broke it and tried to stab me. This metal frame is the only thing they can't break." He explained.

" She can take my bed. The frame is metal and will withstand anything. The barn is cold and can't be heated." Duce said. " We need to make her comfortable."


	3. Chapter 3

_* Please Review! Wow, you guys are great and I'm getting so much support for this story and I need that. Something is just pushing me with this story and I have to get it out. Now, in every chapter we will learn more and more about the demons. They will become their own characters as well. I looked around online and read through a different list of demons. I didn't make up the names or what they do in hell. These are real demon names and what I say they do in hell is what I have read about them. In later chapters, I will even go over what they look like.*_

Brian's hands were shaking as he started to unstrap Tatum's wrists. He carefully rubbed the deep purple bruise that had formed on her right one weeks beforehand. His thumb passed over the mark as a sharp pain went through his chest and his throat closed with tears. She offered up a sad, small smile to her father even though she was tired and scared. She hated the worry and stress that played on his features. She hated how shaky he was as he unstrapped her other wrist. Her dad, her rock, the strongest man she had ever known was now trembling and shaking like a leaf in the wind. The man who had all the answers her entire life was now lost and she hated it. He was scared and it killed her. All her life, Brian had had the answers she needed. He had carried her around on his shoulders as a child, taught her how to ride a bike, how to drive and was there for her first broken heart and now...

" Where am I?" She asked.

" Do you remember me telling you about my friend who was a priest in Ireland? I brought you here for help." Brian said as he reached up and over her upper body.

He took a gentle hold of her shoulders as she grabbed at his forearms. He pulled her up so she was sitting up in the hospital bed. Tatum closed her eyes, leaned her head against her father's chest and took a deep breath. His scent calmed her. The feel of his steady heartbeat soothed her. The strength she felt in his arms as he held her close gave her hope. Connor and Murphy moved to stand beside their dad as they watched the small family. Both looked tired, stressed and worried. Tatum sighed and looked up as her dad looked down. They smiled to each other as he brought one hand to her hair, pushing it out of her face before they looked to the other men.

" This is Father McMalloy." Brian said, looking to the priest. Tatum nodded and pulled her legs up through the blanket. Her hands closed on the back of Brian's shirt as she hugged him closer to her.

" And the others?" She asked. Her voice was raspy, as if her throat was raw from the screaming.

" These are the Saints of Boston." Father McMalloy said, looking to the twins and Duce before he looked back at her.

Tatum looked surprised as she looked over to the family. The three men didn't look like what the pictures on the news had shown. Before her was a white haired man with should reaching just pass his shoulders and a beard that stretched down to his chest. There was a dark haired, younger man, standing on his right, with the same long, wavy hair and a long beard. Another man stood at the older man's left. He had lighter hair color and lighter bread color but it was just as long. The pictures had shown young men with short hair and clean faces.

" Like the Boondock Saints?" Tatum asked. " The brothers who killed the mobsters?"

" Aye, Luv. The very same." Duce said as his sons came to his side.

" They are the most faithful men I know." Father McMalloy said quickly. " When your father called me, I prayed to the Lord, asking him to show me the way to help you. I asked who was right to take this journey with us and he showed me the MacManus'."

" And help we will. We will not harm you. We don't hurt the innocents." Duce said as Tatum nodded.

" I know. I know of your work. You kill the wicked to save the innocent." She said, pulling away from her dad. " But I'm not innocent anymore." She said sadly.

" Tatum, no, my babe. Don't talk like that." Brian said quickly, throwing in a stern, fatherly tone.

" I'm not. I'm tainted now, darken by this. My soul, it can't be pure anymore. Not after everything they have made me do." She said.

" My luv, this is not your fault and you are not tainted. The Father brought you to us to help and help we will." Duce's voice was quiet but commanded every one's attention. He stared at Tatum as she watched him and nodded slowly. " We will push these demons from your body and save your soul."

" So you believe us than? You don't think I'm crazy?" Tatum asked.

" No, Luv. You aren't crazy." Duce said.

" And when the time comes, you and your sons will end my life." It was a statement, not a question. And it was not option she could be talked out of. Duce could see it in her face and eyes. She had accepted what could be her fate and he had to admire that.

" They won't have too." Brian said, quickly. " We will cast them out." Tatum closed her eyes and let the side of her head come to rest against his chest again.

" And the demons can't take your soul. It belongs to the Lord." The priest said.

That opened her eyes again but the only person she would look at was Duce. There was understanding in his eyes that drew her in. Her father wasn't ready to accept what most likely was the end result. He didn't understand that she wasn't going to take any chances and suffer for all time in hell. Duce understood that. It showed on his face and his eyes. And she knew from reading about the Saints and their father, that Duce did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done.

" I need your word, your promise," She started again, " the night before my birthday, if they are still inside me, your sons will kill me. I know the demons lie. I know they say things to scare me and it works. I don't know what the truth is, to be honest. I don't know if they will own my soul if they kill me and I don't want to find out. I can't kill myself so I need to know your sons will."

" You have my word, Luv. On the eve of your birthday, if you are still plagued, then my boys will take your life and send you to Heaven." Duce said slowly.

BDSBDSBDS

Duce was sitting at the table with his sons and the priest when the door to one of the bathrooms open in the upstairs part of the cabin. All four men looked up at the balcony as Brian and Tatum walked out. Her hair was pulled back with a few wet strands handing down from the hair band and sticking her to cheeks and neck. Brian had helped her undress and step into the shower then stayed in the bathroom in case she needed anything. She was weak from the lack of eating and sleeping and sometimes too weak to stand in the shower. She had passed out and fallen once and only once. After that, she never bathed alone. It didn't embarrass her anymore because the demons had made her say horrible things to her father and tried to make her strip for him before he had knocked her out. There was nothing embarrassing between them anymore.

" Hold my hand and the railing." Brian said as they reached the stairs.

One of his arms went around her waist as the other grabbed at her hand. Her left hand came up and was placed on the railing as they started to walk slowly, taking each step as carefully as she could. The men watched her as Brian whispered to her and she tried to reassure him quietly. He worried for her while she tried to hide how much she needed his help. She was still pale and still looked tired but it was clear she was trying to be strong.

Tatum looked up and smiled as they reached the bottom step. Brian ushered her to the table where Duce had set out a hot bowl of beef stew for them. The dark wooden bowls were filled with meat, potatoes, and cooked carrots. Steamed rolled off it and made her mouth water. She was hungry but scared to eat. If the demons rose early and found food in her stomach, they would make her throw it all up, no matter where she was or who she was with. The idea of the aftermath almost took her hunger away completely.

" Here, sit down and try to eat, even if it is only a few bites." Brian said, lowering her down into a chair.

" Thanks." She said. Once she was settled, Brian moved to the chair at her right and sank down.

" Eat, my Wee Babe, please." Brian said again. She nodded slowly at him.

" I will try." She promised.

" Are you not hungry?" Connor asked, bring her eyes to him. She needed to eat, anyone could see that. She was thin in a way that didn't seem natural for her frame and she was pale.

" It's not that." She said. " It's just, sometimes, they punish me for eating and I have to decide which I want to deal with. The hungry pains or the throwing up and retching."

" When she is sleeping, I have started hooking her up to IVs and giving her supplements through her vein but it's not enough." Brian said, looking around the table.

" Do you know who the demons are?" Duce asked as Tatum slowly picked up the fork sitting at the right of the bowl.

" Yes. They have told me their names. There are three, as I'm sure you heard. Two males and a female." Tatum said.

" Demons have genders?" Murphy asked.

" Some, yeah." Tatum said. " But only the high Lords of Satan have genders, only the ones cut from his own flesh. They were created in mockery of the Lord creating humans." Slowly, as was all her movements, she brought the fork to a carrot and sank the metal into the cooked vegetable.

" How do you know that?" Connor asked.

" They talk to me and through me. They tell us things. They seem to love to talk." Tatum said.

" What are their names?" The priest asked. Tatum and Brian glanced at each other quickly before he looked to them.

" We don't say their names out loud. The few times we have, called them out. They hear their names, they will come to her. But I can write them down for you." Brian said.

" Murphy." Duce said.

" Aye." Murphy answered as he rose up.

He walked over to a desk that sat by the front door at the same time Tatum brought the carrot to her mouth. She closed her eyes and sighed as she slipped the carrot in. Using her tongue, she smashed the orange vegetable against the roof of her mouth, hoping that if she smashed it enough, the demons wouldn't realize it was food. Which was stupid and she knew it. The demons weren't dumb and they would punish her...but she was so hungry and it tasted so good. It didn't taste like the carrots she used to buy at the stores, they were cleaner, fresher. The taste alone made her want to moan.

Tatum forced herself to swallow as she opened her eyes again. Murphy came back to the table and sat down again, pushing the pencil and paper over to her dad with his eyes glued to Tatum. The twins watched as she struggled to eat. Her dad started to write while she pushed her fork through a potato. The effect seem to take a lot out of her. She sighed and sometimes her hand shook as she moved.

" The first one you hear, the one who talks the most and seems to be in charge, we call Demon A. He has told her he is the king of the demons." Brian explained, holding up a paper with the name Abaddon written on it. " He came to her first. He claims to be Satan's right hand." Brian brought the paper down and started to write as she continued to try and eat. She didn't touch the meat, opting to smash the potatoes and carrots before she placed them in her mouth each time. " The second, we call Demon B. He is a Grand Duke of hell and says he is in charge of a legion of demons." Again, he held the paper up and the name was Amduscas. " He doesn't like her to eat and if he realizes she has, he will punish her." Tatum closed her eyes again, forcing part of the potato down her throat. " The last is a female and we call her Demon C. She is the demon of sex." The name written on the paper now was Lilith. " She is the one who will do most of the sexual talking. Asking disturbing sexual questions and making horrible comments."

" What happen to you? How did you know they were taking over?" Connor asked. Tatum picked up a napkin and wiped at her mouth before she sighed and looked up at him.

" At first it started off with small things. I would wake at three in the morning and didn't know why. I thought I heard voices but I thought it was from a dream or the TV from the apartment next to mine. It was the same time every night. About two weeks later though, I started seeing things." She started.

" What kind of things?" Murphy asked.

" Well," She made a stab at a carrot, dropping her eyes to her stew again. " I would be talking to someone and their eyes would change. They would become dark until they were black. Sometimes their mouths would elongate unnaturally." She blinked and looked up at Murphy, shaking her head slowly. "Images in the pictures would move on their own and change. Something as simple as a snap shot of the ocean would change into something that looked like a river of fire, filled with the dead. Birds started to fly into the windows of my apartment or car, breaking their necks and dying. I would hear screaming were there was none."

" I took her to the hospital and ran some tests." Brian started to fill in, placing a hand on hers. They squeezed hands tightly as they looked at each other. " I thought she had a brain tumor or something."

" When my head was cleared, I started to see a shrink." She rolled her eyes, looking back to Duce. " I thought I was going crazy but there is no history of mental illness in our family."

" And what did the shrink say?" Connor asked. Tatum sighed and shook her head.

" That I had paranoid schizophrenia." She said. " And part of me believed him because I couldn't explain anything else."

" And what made you figure out you were possessed?" Duce asked.

" They took over. I started doing and saying things that I couldn't stop. I was watching things happening around me, watching myself do things and say things that I couldn't stop. I was watching through my eyes and hearing them laugh and whisper to me. It was horrible. I have never been so scared in my life." She said.

" She came to my house one night in a complete panic and covered in blood. They made her kill her cat." Brian said. Tatum dropped her eyes to her dinner and started to try and eat again so they won't see how her eyes filled with tears. " She told me she watched herself do it and had no control, then she admitted to other things they had made her do. I cleaned her up and made her stay the night at my house. Sometime around three in the morning, I was exposed to them. It just went downhill from there."

The brothers listened to her dad talk about the different things he had witnessed her doing when possessed, some small, like when she cut up all her clothes and when she cut her hair. Others bigger like when she stabbed herself in the side and tried to attack him. Tatum ate quietly, taking as small of bites as she could, wiping her eyes as Brian talked. He told them about moving her into his place when she woke up at her apartment with four men she didn't know. He talked about how cut herself and spread her blood over a mirror in the bathroom. Tatum closed her eyes a few times and shook her head when they learned how the demons made her eat bugs and rocks, only to throw them back up again.

" You say you have about six hours before they come again?" Duce asked, making her look up at him and nod. " Is there anything we need to do during that time?"

" No. Like I said, I know when they are coming and can warn you." Tatum said.

" During her clear times, we try and make things as normal as we can for her. I think it's important for her to try and have some sane part of her life." Brian said.

" Then we carry on the same here. Is there something you would like to do?" Duce asked.


	4. Chapter 4

_* Please Review! Thank you again! *_

" Are we sure we should take her into town?" Murphy whispered to Connor as they stood by their car.

" Aye." Connor said while they watched Brian and Tatum walk down the steps.

" What if she is taken over?" Murphy snapped.

" You heard what her Da said. He is bring that medicine he uses to knock her out. If she feels them coming over her, he will give it to her and we leave." Connor said.

" Tighten it up, Boys." Duce said as he reached the car. " We will make things normal and fun for her. We take care of her soul and her mind, part of that, is taking her mind off things." He turned then, giving his sons his back to smile at the girl and her dad. " Are you ready, Luv?" He called out to her.

" Yeah, I think." Tatum said.

" You will ride in the car with me and my boys while the priest and your Da follow in the priest's car." Duce said. Tatum and Brian looked at each other with worried looks on their faces. Brian shook his head, looking back to Duce a few seconds later.

" No, I don't think that's a good idea." He said. Duce nodded but didn't back down.

" We will be fine. We have five hours until she is taken under again. Five hours to show her a good time and ease her mind. My boys and I can point things out to her and teach her about our country side. She will ride with us." Then he turned and started around the car. The subject was closed and every one knew it.

With Tatum settled into the front seat with Duce and the boys in the back seat, they started down the road. Her head was resting back against the seat and she was smiling to herself as the world whipped by. She had always wanted to see her dad's home but they had never made it over. He left as a young man, met her mother and Tatum was born. As a teen, her mother become ill and passed away then Tatum went off to college and life rolled by them.

" You know what I think I will miss most?" Tatum asked without looking away from the window.

" What?" Duce asked.

" The smell of the rain in the air."

" Well you will get that here." Connor spoke up from the back. " It can rain for days and it makes Murphy cranky like the babe he is." Murphy's head whipped around to glare at his brother. He quickly reached across the seat and punched Connor's knee, making his twin laugh. Tatum turned her head and smiled at the twins. Connor shook his head, grinning at her from behind his dad. " See, what I mean? Down right cranky babe, he is."

" Shut it." Murphy snapped.

" It must be nice that you two had each other growing up." She commented.

" Aye. It has been nice having a younger brother." Connor snickered.

" Fuck you! You're the youngest!" Murphy snapped, moving to strike his brother again. Connor laughed loudly as he dodged the punch.

" Are you alone?" Duce asked. Tatum looked over to him and nodded.

" Yeah. I am an only child." She confirmed.

The rest of the ride, Connor made her laugh by telling her stories about Murphy, who denied most of things his brother was saying. She laughed as they kicked at each other and threw small punches. Duce smiled as he drove, instructing them to stop fighting but not really meaning it. His boys amused him as much as they did Tatum.

The cars were parked on the street of the small town the boys lived close to. Duce spoke with her dad and the priest, asking that they let his boys be alone with her. He reasoned that she would feel more like a regular young woman if her dad wasn't hovering around. They would make sure Tatum was in their sights, or close by, at all times in case the demons rose early but wouldn't interfere with her time with the brothers.

" Come here, Luv." Connor said, placing his hands carefully on her shoulders. " I want to show you something."

He placed her in front of him and guided her towards the back of the store they were in, his head bent down as he whispered to her and made her laugh. Murphy followed behind them with his hands deep in his pockets, unsure of how he felt being alone with her. He was unsure of how he felt about the entire events unfolding around them. He wasn't sure he believed that she really was possessed and if she was, then why were they taking her outside, around people? Why were her dad and his, along with the priest, sitting outside, talking like they were old friends? How could Connor be so playful and calm around her? Murphy frowned, walking slowly and eyeing her closely. Could she be faking it for attention? She had to be. He didn't know why but she had to be. What kind of God would allow one of his children to go through what she said she was going through? Maybe that was just another reason for Murphy to not believe in him.

He had never been completely comfortable with what they had done back in the states. Doing the Lord's work had changed all the plans Murphy had made for himself. He had thought he and Connor would work together, live together and drink together until they found their own lasses then they would settle down and start their own families. That was what proper Irishmen do. They have fun as young men then buckle down and raise babes.

In fact, Murphy found he wanted that for himself. He wanted to have fun with his brother. He wanted to drink and laugh and carry on then settle down and start a family. He thought he would make a good father and uncle but then the Lord had hit them with those dreams and all his plans went out the window. They had went into hiding. They snuck around places, had to quiet and careful in everything they did and they had been shot. He had been shot then burned with a iron simply because they couldn't go to the hospital. Burned with a hot iron and they had lost their best friend. Rocco had been killed directly in front of them and now, Murphy and Connor had been forced to leave America and live in a cabin on a sheep farm. He was bored with his life. He hated the sheep, hated sitting in the fields all day, and he resented his brother and dad for taking things from him. He resent the Lord for taking the life Murphy wanted away from him.

" See this, Luv?" Connor's voice pulled Murphy from his thoughts. He watched as his brother pointed to a framed picture of a field full of wildflowers.

" It's beautiful. What is that?" Tatum asked.

" It the fairy field. No humans are allowed to go there. If a human walks into that meadow, they will disappear forever, never to be heard from again." Connor said dramatically, making Tatum smile.

" And how many people have disappeared there?" She asked.

" This year, twenty-five." Connor answered, moving to her side and making Murphy laugh.

" Twenty-five, my ass. Are you some kind of fucking idiot?" He asked. Connor looked at Tatum and pretended to look hurt.

" You hear the way he talks to me, Luv? Wounds me, he does." He said. Tatum laughed and looked back at the picture as a little blond girl raced pass them in the busy store.

" It's so pretty. Is that a urban legend here? The fairies taking human?" She asked, looking back at Murphy.

" Lilith, wait!" A mother called out, hurrying pass the three and catching Connor's attention.

Tatum's smile faded and what little color had that come to her cheeks when she laughed was draining quickly. She swallowed hard, making Murphy frown. He smacked Connor's arm and pointed to her when his brother looked back at him. Tatum closed her eyes and tilted her head down as her breathing kicked into high gear. She grabbed at the shelf and sank down to her knees, making both boys drop down, each grabbing at one of her shoulders.

" Are you alright?" Murphy asked. Tatum's head tilted to the side, like a dog listening to something no human could hear. She smiled and looked up at him without lifting her head. She looked at Murphy through her lashes and started to giggle. In the third demon's voice.

" Lets have some real fun, shall we?" The voice asked, making both boys slowly withdraw their hands from her. " I will fuck your brother while you slit the man behind the counter's throat."

" Come on, Luv." Connor said gently. " It's time to go." He reached out to take a hold of her arm when her head snapped to him, freezing his movements by the look on her face.

" Touch me and I will rip out your balls through your fucking throat." She snapped. Her head twisted back to Murphy, her movements sharp and quick like a bird. " This is what you live for, isn't it, Murphy MacManus? You think you right the wrongs by killing but you do nothing." She hissed, rocking forward so she was on her hands and knees, glaring up at him. " Do you know what he does, the man at the counter? He dreams of fucking little girls. He jerks off to images of children he finds online and you know what I do while he's cumming? I laugh!"

" We need to get her out of here." Connor said but neither boy moved to touch her.

" I laugh as I feed off his fantasies!" She said, her voice growing louder and louder.

' Stop! Please!' Tatum screamed inside her head. On the outside, Tatum's head twitched to the side as her shoulders jumped.

" Shut up, you! I was called out!" Lilith snapped.

' Leave me alone!' Tatum always screamed and yelled when they took over, she always fought against them, even though she knew it wouldn't do any good. In the shop, Lilith threw her head back and screamed as loud as she could. Everyone in the shop jumped as the boys moved at once.

" Do you think they are okay in there?" Brian asked nervously as he, Duce, and Father McMalloy sat on a bench outside the shop.

" Aye." Duce said, bring his pipe up to his mouth. " You want her to experience life as normally as she can and she can't do that with you following her around with a needle."

" Aye, I do, but I haven't been far from her since she came to live with me." Brian said with a heavy sigh. Duce nodded, staring straight ahead as he inhaled deeply.

" What of her mother?" Duce said after a few minutes.

" Joy passed away when Tatum was a teen. She had gotten ill and after a few months she passed." Brian filled in, picking some lint off his pant leg before looking behind them to see if he could see his daughter through the window.

" Joy was a wonderful woman." The priest said.

" Aye." Brian said, looking forward again. " She would have been so proud of Tatum, of the way she is handling this. She's so brave that it amazes me. I'm barely keeping it together, I'm scared out of my mind for her. I can't imagine what she thinks and feels when they take over but she tries so hard to put on a brave face for me sometimes."

" We will care for her." Duce said, turning his head to look at the other man. Brian meet his eyes and nodded with a deep sigh. " If the boys need to end her life, she will be buried on our land and you are welcome to stay with us."

" I can't thank you enough for this. The church," Brian shook his head and looked away from them. " won't grant her an exorcism. The priest at our local church, he has witnesses what is happening to her. He had filmed it and made recordings but the church turned their back on us." Duce nodded, inhaling again and looking away from he needed to exhale.

" There are many in the church who do not believe in exorcisms anymore." Father McMalloy said softly. "But I can't help but believe that she is being claimed. There is no other explanation and that is why I turned to the MacManus'. We needed the most faithful around her if we are to get her out of this."

" Da!" They heard Connor yell as the doors burst open. Brian and the priest jumped up but Duce simply looked to his right and continued to smoke.

" I thought you said we had five hours!" Murphy yelled. Tatum was in between the brothers. Her arms were around their shoulders and they were gripping her wrists with their other arms around her waist. She was growling and struggling against them.

" What happen?!" Brian asked.

" Knock her out!" Murphy yelled as they struggle to hold her still while she fought.

" Knock her out then drag her into a alley way and fuck her mouth with your cock!" Lilith's voice was clear as she screamed out through Tatum's mouth.

Duce rose up as Brian reached into his pocket for the syringe he had brought in case he needed to inject her. Duce gently guided Brian to the side and took up the place directly in front of her. He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. She snapped at him and growled, twisting her lower body while she tried to break free from the twins grasp.

" Let her go." Duce said, staring into her eyes.

" Fuck her first." Lilith said before she laughed. " Fuck her! Fuck her! Fuck her!" She started to sing.

" Let. Her. Go." Duce said again. At once the struggles and the singing stopped. Tatum/Lilith learned her head forward, meeting his eyes hard as she growled deep in her throat.

" No." She answered.

" Tatum, now is the time you must fight, my luv. You are in there, I can see you looking out. You are stronger than her. Fight." Duce said calmly.

" She isn't strong. Do you know what she does in her mind when we own her body? She cries like a bitch. And when we make her fuck herself or others, she moans like a dirty whore." Lilith said just as calmly. A slow smiled started across her face as she pulled her head back. " You want to fuck her, don't you? You and these boys."

" Shut it!" Connor snapped.

" Fight her, Tatum. There is only one right now and she is nothing. She is the weakest." Duce said.

" The weakest?" Lilith snapped. " Why don't you tell the boys to let me go and we will go a round. We will see who is weak and who is strong, old man."

" Tatum!" Duce snapped. Her body twitched then jerked as her head rocked back.

" Knock me out!" Tatum's cried out as her own voice broke through. Her head snapped forward again as her body jerked again.

" Fuck you." Lilith snapped at him.

" That's it, Luv. Do it again!" Duce said, tightening his hold on her face.

" Da, people are staring." Murphy snapped.

" Let her Da put her under!" Connor hissed. Because the last thing they needed was a crowd.

" Pull out of this again." Duce snapped.

" Pull out? Is that how you like, Old man. You pull out and spread your seed all over her face and chest. She'd like that." Lilith said.

" I'm sorry, Luv." Duce said. " Boys, the prayer." Her eyes narrowed as she started to fight again.

" Do not pray in front of me!" She yelled.

At once Duce started to recite their family prayer, knowing how it would effect the demon after seeing the reaction to it had to the bible and holy water. Three words in and Connor was joining him in the prayer. Murphy frowned and gripped at her harder when she tried to twist again. She started to scream and curse, yelling for them to stop. Murphy moved closer to her, forcing his side against her to try and pin her against him and Connor. His dad frowned when he looked at him and Murphy knew he wanted him to join in on the pray. Murphy closed his eyes and started to pray, not really believing it would help anything. He just wanted Brian to inject her to put her out.

Tatum's head went back as her eyes snapped shut. She screamed with her voice changing again. Lilith's voice leaked out and Tatum's came through while sweat broke out across her hairline, the way it did when the demons left her body. She sagged down and whimpered, lowering her head down as she struggled to control her breathing.

" Tatum." Duce said softly. " Are you with us, Luv?" Her head rolled to the side so it was resting against her left shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled.

" Thank you." She whispered.

" You're welcome. Now, let's get you home, Aye?" Duce asked.


	5. Chapter 5

_* Please Review! *_

" Connor, give her your sweater." Duce said as Murphy and Connor helped her to stand steady.

" Hold her, Murph." Connor said, passing her off to his brother without waiting for a word of acceptance from Murphy.

Murphy's arms went around her thin frame quickly as she leaned heavy against him with her eyes shut. Her own arms went around one of his as her hands gripped at him. She was breathing hard against his chest and trembling while Connor pulled off his sweater, revealing the tee shirt he was wearing under it. Murphy frowned and shook his head, missing the looks his dad was sending him. He didn't want to hold her up. He didn't want to carter to the lie he was sure she was spinning. Connor grabbed her and started to pull her away from his brother as soon as he was free of his sweater.

" Put this on, Luv." Connor said gently. " You're shivering." He slipped it over her head then helped guide her arms through the sleeves. She was shivering even though she was wearing her own sweatshirt and jacket.

" We need to get her out of here. When one demon comes through her, it won't be long before the others come." Brian said, coming forward to reach out for his daughter.

Brian and Tatum sat in the back of Duce's car with Murphy. The father held his daughter close to him, both had their arms around each other tight. Tatum's eyes were shut as Brian rubbed her back. Murphy stared outside, trying hard to ignore the looks his dad was sending him through the rear view mirror. He knew Duce hadn't missed that it had taken him a while to join in on the prayer and Murphy didn't feel like dealing with the looks. His head was reeling and spinning around, completely consumed with everything he had witnessed.

Once they were in the cabin, every one started to slowly make their way from the cars, all casting looks to Tatum. Brian had his arm around her waist and was clutching her to him as they walked. She was moving slow again as they whispered together. Murphy frowned to himself. At the store, she walked just fine and now she was acting like she didn't have the strength to hold herself up and that annoyed him. He shook himself and shook his head. No, he wasn't annoyed with her, a girl he hardly knew. He was annoyed at himself. And his dad. And Connor. And the Lord.

" Dad." Tatum whimpered. She grabbed at the railing with one hand and her chest with the other as she slightly hunched over. " They are coming."

" We have to hurry!" Brian called out, trying to rush forward.

" Boys." Duce said. Connor quickly jogged over to her free side and slipped his arm around her to help her dad. Murphy pulled his hands out of his pockets and picked up his pace so he could reach her before his dad shot him another look.

They had just gotten her into Duce's bed and her wrists locked up before screams ripped out of her mouth. The straps slid up and down the bars of the bed as they rattled and she snapped at them. She kicked her legs, cursed and spit at them. Murphy and Connor stood together, in the back of the room and watched. Murphy's arms were crossed in front of his chest while Connor's hands were on his hips. Duce stood at the end of the bed. Brian was on her right and the priest was on her left. Prayers were being said, holy water was being sprinkled and screams were being issued.

And when it was done, she sagged against the bed. Her arms went slack against the straps and her eyes closed. Her hair was matted to her head with sweat, she was panting and pale again. She whimpered and cried while Brian climbed onto the bed and pulled her as close to him as he could get. His own eyes were shut and he was crying softly. Duce unstrapped her wrists, one by one then the four left the father and daughter alone in the room.

BDSBDSBDS

" Will you be staying with us, Father?" Duce asked as the four sat around the old table with cups of coffee and tea in front of them.

" I thought I should. I have some bags packed in my car. Is that alright?" Father McMalloy asked.

" Aye." Duce said as the door to the room opened. They looked up as Brian stepped out then shut the door. He ran one hand over his face and sighed, walking towards the stairs.

" How is your babe?" Duce asked quietly.

" Sleeping." Brian said, shaking his head. " I don't understand what is happening. All three came back. They shouldn't have done that." Murphy picked up his cup and brought it to his mouth with both hands as he stared at the table. Connor twisted in his seat so he could watch the tired father walk, one his arms was on the table and the other was on the top of his chair.

" How does it usually happen?" Connor asked as Murphy took a long, deep drink of his coffee.

" If one is called out, then another one will come soon after, and then the third. They never all come at once in that case." Brian said, reaching the bottom of the stairs. " If one is not called out, then the three come at once, about every six hours. This time, all three were there, almost five hours early. Demon C should have been too tired to hit Tatum again. Things are changing with them."

" Is that typical, Father? Do demons usually change their routine?" Duce asked.

The priest was sitting across from the eldest MacManus so he turned to face him, giving Brian his back. He reached out and had a grab for his own cup as Murphy stood up, offering his chair to the tired father. Brian muttered his thanks and almost collapsed into it. He brought his hands to his eyes and started to rub them hard, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes as he sighed. Murphy leaned against the wall behind Brian, crossing his arms over his chest again, his cup still in his hand.

" Nothing is typical when it comes to demons." Father McMalloy said.

" These three are." Brian said when he dropped his hands down. " They have a schedule, it's always the same with them. It's like they aren't strong enough to take her over any more then every six hours. It's like the possession takes as much out of them as it does Tatum so I can't understand why they came so soon and all at once. This time should have only been A or B. C shouldn't have had the strength to come back, not so soon."

" Could it be us?" Connor asked, leaning into the table with both arms on the table top as he looked from his dad to Brian, to Murphy, to the priest and back again. " Could they be feeding off us? Or one of us?" Duce was sitting back in his chair, sending more looks to Murphy.

" It could be." Priest said slowly as he nodded. " Demons feed off our insecurities, our weaknesses but they couldn't be able to do that here. We are all faithful and strong in our beliefs."

" Maybe we should sent up a watch for today and tonight. Someone should be with her at all times." Connor said. " If she wakes and the demons come, then the man can strap her in and alert the others."

" Good idea, Son." Duce said. " I will take the first six hours. At seven, Connor can come in and stay until two in the morning, then Murphy, Father McMalloy, then Brian."

" I can't ask you to do that. I can stay with her. I'm used to it." Brian said, looking over at Duce.

" You need your rest. I doubt you have gotten any since this happen. If we are going to save her, then we all need our strength and rest. You sleep the night through, let us carry her for a while." Duce said gently.

" I should head up there than." Connor said, pushing his chair back and standing.

Connor spent his six hours, looking out the window of Duce's bedroom. She stayed asleep, laying still and quiet. He watched her for a while, checking out her bruises and cuts. Brian, Duce, and the priest came in to check on them, with Brian checking her pulse and breathing. Connor sat in the old rocking in the corner and read for a while and before he knew it, Murphy came in to relieve him.

During Murphy's watch, Brian woke Tatum and made her eat and drink as much as he could. She forced down some water and ate some of the stew Duce had made, but only a few bites. Murphy watched as Brian spoke softly to her and hooked her up to an IV. She forced out the smile she gave him then patted her dad's hand and promised she would be okay. Brian pressed a kiss against her forehead, offered his thanks to Murphy then left the room to try and sleep.

" So you are just going to sit here?" Tatum asked, looking across the room as Murphy took a seat in the chair by the window.

" Aye." He said, crossing his arms over his chest as he settled in.

" Aren't you going to be bored?" She asked. Murphy's eyes shifted to the rain as it beat against the window as he shrugged.

" I'll be alright." He said.

Tatum tilted her head and watched him for a few minutes. He had pushed the sleeves of his sweater up and was leaning the chair back so it was balanced on its back two legs. There was a frown on his face, she thought. She couldn't be sure with his beard covering his mouth but his eyebrows were drawn together tightly and that told her enough. He was unhappy being her babysitter, not that she really liked having him there either but she understood it. She sighed and decided to try and make things somewhat pleasant.

" So...you look different than your pictures and the news reports on you." Murphy looked back at her, raising his eyebrows up.

" What?" He asked.

" Your picture. Yours and Connor's were all over the news. You guys look completely different." Tatum said. Murphy nodded, reaching up to comb his fingers through his beard as he looked away again. He rocked the chair forward, causing the legs to hit the floor and squeak.

" Aye. We thought it best to grow out our hair, change our looks. That part of our life is behind us now." He muttered. He leaned to the side to stare more out the window, hoping she would take the sign that he didn't want to talk to her.

" Don't be scared of me." At her words, Murphy laughed and looked back at her.

" Scared? Of you? You weight, what? One hundred pounds if you're lucky. You're to fucking weak to really fight me and you have no weapons. Trust me, Tatum, I'm not scared of you." He didn't mean to snap but the words rushed out him in a harsh tone that he regretted right away as her face fell and her shoulders dropped. She looked down at her left arm and pretended to inspect her IV port. Murphy briefly closed his eyes. It wasn't her fault that he hated his life. " I'm...I'm sorry." Murphy said when he opened his eyes again. Tatum shook her head, looking back at him at once.

" I wasn't always this weak looking, you know? I took self defense classes. I know where to hit and kick you to cause you pain. I can't fire a gun but I can fight." She said before she shook her head and looked back down at her IV. Her fingers ran slowly over the tape as a million emotions played over her features at once. " I can't help this. I didn't ask for this, you know? I don't want to throw up everything I eat. I don't want to look like this. I had plans and dreams for myself and my future and none of them involved being stuck in a bedroom in Ireland with a man who clearly can't stand to be around me and thinks I'm stupid."

" I never said..." Her head snapped up and cut off his words right away.

" You don't have too. I can see it on your face. Your dad, your brother, the priest, they look at me with pity but they look at me. You...you can't meet my eyes and when I talk or my dad talks about what is happening, you roll your eyes. I'm not stupid, Murphy. You know, not only do you look different but you act different then I thought you would. I thought you wanted to help the innocent, protect them. I thought that was your thing but I guess I'm not innocent enough for you."

" That's not it." Murphy said softly. Tatum shook her her and started to settle back into the bed, giving him her back as she rolled over and all but dismissing him.

" Don't worry about it. I was just trying to make polite conversation with you. I won't bother you again." She muttered.

With only one hour left in his shift, the demons screams ripped through the cabin.

BDSBDSBDS

In the morning, Murphy and Connor sat on the porch steps, smoking their morning smokes, each with a cup of coffee sitting beside him. Duce was in the rocker behind them, rocking slowly and smoking his pipe. None of them had said a word to each other. The demons did not seem to have a schedule like Brian had first said they did. They claimed her three times in the night, each time leaving her in a sweating, whimpering mess on the bed.

Every time they came, the whole cabin was woke and swarmed into her room. They screamed, spit, snapped her jaws and cursed while the priest prayed and read from the bible. They made her bang her head repeatly against the bars of the bed until Duce made Connor and Murphy climb into the bed and grab at her. As it was now, pillows were tied and taped against the bars to protect her from any more attacks. Her right wrist was now bandaged up because with her struggles had ripped at the tender, soft flesh, making the demons laughter ring out as the blood trailed down her arm.

" Six months he said this has been happening." Connor commented, making Murphy nod as the brothers stared out across the field.

" Aye." Duce said from the back. Connor frowned and turned so he was face his brother and dad.

" How has he been able to stand the screaming?" He asked. " She's been here almost twenty-four hours now and I want to rip my hair out. And the things she says, talking about sex and blood and cocks. I don't even know what to say." He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

" It is like the priest said it would be and we mustn't listen to them. They are trying to upset us, make us angry. We ignore whatever comes out of her mouth. And boys, " Duce zoned on Murphy as he drew hard on his smoke. " try and remember that this isn't easy on them and they need our compassion. Try and make her laugh, lift her spirits and make her forget what is happening. Her birthday comes in four weeks. Four short weeks. "

" Aye." Connor said, turning back towards the field again. He brought his hand rolled to his lips and shook his head.

" Murphy." Duce said, frowning.

" Aye, Da. Four short weeks." Murphy mumbled. Together, the three MacManus men fell silent, each lost to their thoughts. Murphy was frowning, Connor was going over everything they has witnessed and Duce was staring.

" How can we do this?" Connor finally asked. " How can we save her?"

" I doubt we can." Duce admitted, making both his sons turn and look at him in surprise. " They seem to have a firm hold on her. In the end, we will stand behind her together, praying as one but I shall take her life."

" Da." Connor began but stopped when Duce held up a hand.

" I have already decided it. I have started to pray about it and I shall be the one. I don't want that burden on you boys. You carry enough with you day to day." Duce said, looking directly into Murphy's eyes. Murphy cast his glance down a second before he turned away. Connor nodded and sighed.

" Than Murph and I will bury her." He answered.


	6. Chapter 6

_* Please Review! _

_**Witchbaby300:**__ I am not scared of horror or scary movies, they are my favorite. I don't do chick flicks. I have a huge collect of Japanese horror movies. I am scared of movies that show demon possession though because I do believe in it. I have seen a few demon possessions movies though. I am a Christian too and this story came to me in a dream and it just had to be wrote. If you are a horror movie junkie like me, pm me and I can suggest some good ones, if you don't mind reading subtitles. Actually, pm me anyway and lets trade movie titles! _

_Thank you guys for giving me the strength to do this story. I am nervous that people wont like it because its so different than other Boondock stories here. I think I am taking it in a completely different direction than other Murphy/Connor stories.*_

For two weeks they did little more than strap her to the bed and try and control her when the demons came, and they came a lot. Every couple of hours the demons would take her over and it was taking it's toll on her body. Her voice was harsh and her throat was sore from all the screaming and she slept almost all of the time, having almost given up eating completely. Brian would beg her but she would refused, stating how tired she was of throwing up or how sick she felt.

When she was possessed, the boys would hold her legs so she wouldn't kick anyone. Brian would try and hold her arms so she couldn't pull at the straps and hurt her wrists more while Duce would grab at her head, dodging her snapping teeth and spit. The priest would pray, they would read passages out of the bible and touch her with holy water. She would fight, twisting from one side to the next, screaming the entire time until the demons were driven from her each time, only to return a few hours later.

The men still kept their watch schedule going. If one of the men were alone with her when the demons started to take over, she was strapped into the bed, then the watcher would open her door and yell out, bring everyone to the room at once. She was never alone and hardly ever left the bed. Brian went into the bathroom with her to bath, keeping a bible with him in case they took her over and tried to drown her. Because they had tried once.

At the end of her second week with them had Murphy on his watch. He stared from the end of the bed at her while she slept. He needed answers to things, to everything. Answers he didn't feel he was getting from his prayers and answers he felt she could provide, or a part of her could anyway. With a frown, Murphy walked around the bed until he reached her upper body. He stared at her face as he leaned down and started to strap in her left wrist. Tatum was so tired from her last possession that she didn't wake or even move. Once her left wrist was tight in the strap, he leaned over her and gently took a hold of her right one. He pulled her arm up and strapped that one in before he crouched down and took a deep breath. He could do this, he had to do this. He had no choice left. He was in danger to being lost forever to unfaithfulness. He was in danger of losing his patience with her, her dad, the priest and his family. He wanted to yell at them all, tell them how stupid the entire thing was. He needed to know this was real and there was only one way to find that out.

" Abaddon." He whispered, calling out to the first demon, the one who claimed to be the king. When nothing happen, Murphy swallowed hard then exhaled slowly. "Abaddon." He said, a little louder that time. Tatum's right hand jerked, her fingers twitched and she frowned in her sleep. "Abaddon." He said again. Tatum's eyes snapped opened but instead of the dull blue color that he had come to know as her eye color, she was staring at him with black eyes, the demon's eyes. She snapped at him and started to pull at the straps as he stood up.

" How dare you call out to me." The first demon said. " I am the king. I do not get called out like the others."

" I want answers." Murphy said as he backed away from the bed. Tatum's body rolled from her side to her back as she tracked his movements with her eyes.

" Answers. And what makes you think I will answer anything for you?" The demon asked.

" Because demons love to talk." Murphy said, slipping down into the rocking chair. Her eyes narrowed for a few seconds before she tilted her chin up and crossed her ankles under the blankets.

" Answers. I can give you all sort of answers but it's not going to restore your faith, not that I care to anyway." The deep demon voice said. Murphy leaned forward in the rocker, his forearms resting against his knees as his hands clasp together.

" What?" He asked in surprise. Because no one know of his struggles, no one. He hadn't even spoken them at loud when he was alone. He kept his doubts and lack of faith to himself.

" You think we don't know? We can see the unfaithful a mile away and I have no desire to bring you back under HIS fold. The more we can steal away from HIM the better. So you may ask your questions but I will not talk about HIM or his son." The demon snapped as her body leaned forward so far that her arms were stretched out behind her. " I do not care about HIM or his brat and you shouldn't either. HE doesn't care about you."

" Why not?" Murphy asked. Her mouth twisted up into a smile as she chuckled and settled back into the bed slowly.

" Why not? You can ask me about all of Hell and Satan himself but instead you ask me why not? Okay, about here's why not. Your whole life you did what you wanted with your brother, right? As children, you ran the fields and town, laughing and having fun, not a care or worry. You chased the little girls here, stealing kisses behind the school or in the back of the candy store. As young men, you moved to America and did much of the same, right? You drank, you chased girls, stealing kisses and sex when it was offered. Am I correct?" The demon asked.

" Aye." Murphy answered as wonderment moved over him. There was no way Tatum should have known that.

" And all you wanted for yourself was to drink and carry on with Connor. And you did. You boys drank and drank and drank then one night, HE sends you a dream, gives you a mission HE needs you to do for HIM, even though HE is the all powerful. And while HE's sending you on this mission, does HE care about your life at all? Did HE care about the plans and dreams you had for yourself? No." Slowly, the demon started to leaned forward again, staring Murphy dead in his eyes. " Did HE care that you wanted a family for yourself? That you wanted children and a wife? No. Did HE protect you? No. HE let you and your brother be shot. HE let you be burned to stop the bleeding. HE let you be beat up. HE took your best friend in front of your eyes. And you wonder why your faith is lacking?"

Murphy started to stand as the demon smiled. Murphy was stunned. After everything he had seen since he met her, this was the moment he had been waiting for, he had needed. Something that told him this was real and here it was. Tatum, herself, wouldn't know all that. She wouldn't know what he had wanted for himself. She wouldn't have known about Rocco because the police never tied him to the Saints. She might be able to fake the possession. She might be able to throw her voice, change it to sound demonic. She might be able to take the pain of the wounds she had but she couldn't have known about the things she was saying to him.

" And what can you give me than?" Murphy asked.

The demon sighed and it came out as a growl. Her body sat back as her eyes shut. In front of him, her entire appearance started to change. Her cheeks filled out as well as her arms. The cuts and bruises faded, leaving her skin glowing, instead of pale. Her hair grew longer and fuller. It looked soft and flowed down her body in a dark brown color, instead of the dead color he was used too. Color came back into her face and when she opened her eyes, they were the most beautiful blue color he had ever seen. Her lips were a pale pink and lush, just perfect for kissing and making out.

" I can give you what you want." Lilith's voice spoke through now as Tatum smiled up at him. " I can give you this body, to play with as you want. You can take her, plant your seed inside her and I will make a child come from the union. I will keep her safe as you watch her body grow and change, getting fuller and swollen with your child. That's what you want, isn't it? A child, a wife? You can have a wife in her for nine months, fucking her when you please, having her take your cock in her mouth and swallowing your cum down. And she will never turn you down. You can fuck her stupid, taking her from behind, on the floor, against a wall, outside, and at the end of those nine months, you will have a perfect child of your own. Or two. I can give you twins if you want. I can even give you the gender you want."

" And what's in it for you?" Murphy asked.

" After the child is born, you let us take her. You don't fight us, you don't pray for her, nothing. You get your child and we get her soul." Lilith said.

" And we can do that now?" Murphy asked. With no hands touching the sheets, they started to pull down her legs as she opened them for him.

" And we can do that now. You take down her pants and panties and I can give you an orgasm so big, you will see stars. You can lose yourself inside her body all night, I promise." Lilith said. " It's what you want, after all. It's been so long since you have known a woman, since you have been able to buried inside one that you almost forget how good it feels. You almost forget how an orgasm can feel when given by a woman instead of your hand so let me, let us, remind you, Murphy MacManus." Murphy started to mount the bed, making her nod and grin. " That's right. Come for her. Take her, own her."

Murphy crawled over her body, staring at her eyes. His chest was tight and he could feel...something. He was growing hard and filling with want. He frowned as his heart kicked into overdrive. He could feel and hear the hard pounding. His veins were burning and there was nothing more he wanted then the woman laying under him.

" What is happening?" He asked.

" I'm giving you a little help. You seemed unsure so I thought I'd help you raise up for the event. I am the demon of sex. I can people want each other at the drop of a hat. Or I can make just one want another. How do you think rape happens." Lilith whispered as he crawled completely over her. " Undo your belt and take her. Pound her into the mattress, fuck her until your balls explode and by morning, she will be pregnant." Murphy closed his eyes and swallowed. No turning back now. He knew what had to be done and he would do it, no matter how much he wanted to do the other. He titled his head and opened his eyes to see her nodding. " Come for her, Murphy. She is yours now."

At once Murphy struck. He threw one on his hands against her forehead, slamming her head down and back. He stared straight into the demon's eyes, that were wide with surprise, and started reciting his family prayer. She growled and started to fight against him but Murphy flatten himself against her, using his body weight to pin her to the bed. At once, the illusion of her former self disappeared and the Tatum he knew was back. Her hair was limp, hanging in uneven strands. Her skin was ghost pale and bruised. Her cheeks were partially sunken in from the lack of eating. She snapped at him and growled but Murphy continued on. He kept on hand on her forehead and used his free hand to grab at her throat. He forced her head still as he stared into the black eyes of Lilith.

He reached the end of the pray and started it again. Lilith growled and snapped over and over again but he continued. She struggled against him, tried to thrust her hips into his but all want and desire Lilith had made him feel was gone the moment he started to pray. He pressed down into her body more, forcing her to be still, holding her with his hips and legs so she couldn't move under him. Over and over again he prayed and when he reached the end of the pray for the sixth time, the demon shut her eyes and started to grunt over and over again. She titled her head back, her hands closed around the ties of the straps and her arms started to strain as her back arched and her body trembled.

" Come on, Tatum." Murphy whispered. " You can do it, Luv. Fight her and pull out." The grunts melted into pants, then whimpers as her body started to sag down. Her head went limp under his hands, forcing him to release her.

" Thank you." Tatum whispered as sweat broke out down her body.

" Are you okay, Lass?" Murphy whispered.

" Tired." She whispered while her head rolled to one side.

Murphy rose off her body and slowly unstrapped her right wrist. Her arm fell limply to the bed as her eyes shut and her breathing returned to its slow, even pace. He unstrapped her left wrist then guided it down to the bed. He grabbed the sheet and pulled it over her first, then the big blanket. He carefully tucked her into the bed then walked out of the room.

He woke his brother only and together, the two moved out of the cabin. They slipped away into the darkness, into the rain, and walked side by side across the yard to the barn. With the lighting and the thunder around them, they moved to the back of the old structure and pulled open a trap door. Together, they hauled out a large chest and flipped it open.

At the same time they used pairs of sheep shears and they cut away their long hair. The beards were trimmed down then shaved away completely. They showered under the barn's two shower heads, washing away the hair but it was more than that for Murphy. It was washing away his doubts, his fears, his unfaithfulness. It was about starting fresh and throwing himself into the Lord's work once again. He was called to work and work he would do.

Their rosaries were pulled out from where they had been wrapped in strip of cloth. The peacoats were next. The twins replaced the trunk then left the barn again. With their steps perfectly in sync with one another, they walked back to the cabin, not a word was spoken between them. Murphy stared straight ahead but Connor was throwing his silent brother a few glances.

The priest was woke and brought to Tatum's room. The brothers knelt by her head with their hands clasp together and their heads bowed. The priest blessed them in pray and with holy water. He blessed their rosaries then fed the brothers a communion wafer and gave them a slip of wine. The three took spots around her bed. The priest on the left, Connor on the right, and Murphy at the end. They bowed their heads and started to pray together. Silently, with their eyes closed, they prayed over her sleeping form until the sun started to raise.

When the demons rose again, Murphy would finally be ready for them.

_* So no one is confused, Murphy never intended on sleeping with Tatum in this chapter. He was trying to trick the demon and it worked. He wasn't possessed himself but his body did have a reaction to what Lilith was throwing out but he never intended on sleeping with her. The last part of this chapter, I took directly from the second movie because I felt like it was such a powerful opening scene and I wanted to use it.*_


	7. Chapter 7

_* Please Review! Thank you everyone, so much!*_

But they didn't come the next day, or the day after. Two full days and nights of rest Tatum had. On the second day, she got out of the bed on her own and talked her dad into leaving her alone in the bathroom. She stood under the hot spray of the water and just let it beat against her face. She kept her eyes closed and opened her mouth to collect the water before she slowly started to spit it out. She sighed and shook her head as she started to turn around.

She felt light, lighter than she had in months. She felt like she could breath easily and there was no heavy feeling over her. No whispering inside her head and no strange images being shown to her in her sleep. She felt, almost normal again. And after she was done with the shower, she was going to eat. She was hungry and felt no fear of throwing up. And all thanks to Murphy, she felt.

She remembered waking up to him talking to demon A. She remembered being confused then scared when he talked to demon C. She remembered feeling the panic take her over as he stared at her and started to climb into the bed. Demon C was taunting him, telling him to take Tatum and there was a few minutes where she really believed he was going to do just that. She believed that he was going to strip her down and do whatever he wanted to do. It wouldn't be the first time the demon had made a man take Tatum against her will.

But Murphy hadn't. He had completely resisted the demon and actually pushed the demon out of her. He had been stronger than the other men and pushed pass the feelings she knew he had been feeling. She had felt his want for her as it pressed into her when he came down on top of her body. She had seen the look in his eyes and knew he wanted nothing more then to do just what demon C had been coaxing him to do, but he held back. He didn't touch her.

" Are you feeling okay, Luv?" Duce asked when Tatum sat down at the table after she had dressed herself.

" I am." She said, smiling and nodding.

" You want something to eat?" Connor said, coming up to her left side. She looked up at him and smiled and nodded.

" Yeah, I think I do. Thanks." Tatum said.

With his own smile, Connor spooned out some of the oatmeal they had made. Brian watched her with his own smile. The entire environment in the house was different, lighter and free, every one could feel it and everyone was affected by it. They all felt happier, more relaxed. They were still watching her closely and hardly leaving her alone but they all felt better about things. There was hope in the air. For the first time in the two weeks that she had been with them, it was easy for everyone to breath and laugh.

" Made this myself. It's pretty good if I do say so." Connor said, making her laugh softly.

" Today, I'd like to go outside. I want to see the fields and the animals." Tatum said, picking up her spoon and looking over to her dad as he sat off to her right. " If that's okay."

" I don't know..." Brian's voice trailed off as a worried look passed over his face.

" My boys can take her. She will be fine with them." Duce spoke up. Tatum looked across the table to the elder MacManus, smiling as she did so.

Over breakfast, Connor entertained her with wild stories of the things the boys had done when they lived in America. Duce smiled and even Brian laughed a few of the stories. The Priest shook his head and rolled his eyes, crossing himself a few times, which made Connor laugh harder. Murphy joined in a few times, from his spot against the wall, mostly in the act of defending himself or to throw Connor under the bus.

Tatum ate half of her bowl of oatmeal, not wanting to push her luck anymore than she had. If they decided to raise up, she didn't want to chock on the breakfast. Connor and Murphy gathered the bowls up and washed them as Duce, Tatum, Brian and the priest talked. It was decided that the boys would take a bible with them as they took her around the fields and showed her the land they owned. Tatum was excited and it showed in the color that came to her cheeks and her bright smile. In effort to give her something normal, the older men would stay at the cabin.

" We have horses." Connor was saying as the three made their way across the yard. Connor had his arm around her waist to help keep her steady. She felt stronger but was still shaky from a lack of eating.

" I love horses." Tatum said.

" Do you want to ride one? If you want to see the land, riding up top a horse if the way to go. You won't get tired." Connor said.

" Oh I don't know." Tatum said slowly. " I have never ridden a horse before."

" You can ride with one of us. It will be alright, I promise." Connor said as they reached the barn. " Stay here with Murph. I will get them ready and bring the horses out."

He gave Tatum a squeeze before pulling away and disappearing inside the barn. Murphy put his hands in his pockets as he stared at the barn. Tatum hugged her arms across her chest, holding her hoodie against her to protect herself from the light drizzle. She sighed and looked over to Murphy, realizing she hadn't been alone with him when she was awake since Lilith had taken her over.

" I want to tell you thank you." She said, feeling shy. Murphy's eyes shifted from the barn to Tatum.

" For what?" He asked. Tatum looked away from him to rub her lips together as she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

" For not...taking advantage of me. When you could have." She said, looking back at him with her last sentience. " I mean, let's be honest, you completely could have and I couldn't have stopped you. And it's not just that. I know you don't like me but you still helped me, so thanks." Murphy sighed as he studied her. He pulled his left hand out of his pocket and started to rub his bottom lip and offer up a small, short nod.

" Aye, you're welcome. And I was never going to sleep with you. I was trying to trick her, them." He said.

" Well, it worked. " She said. " So thanks." Murphy nodded again and they both looked back to the barn, waiting for Connor. Murphy was stealing looks at her every few seconds, feeling bad that she thought he didn't like her. He briefly closed his eyes and shook his head at himself.

" I don't..." He stopped talking to open his eyes and meet hers. " I don't not like you. I'm sorry I have been standoffish and rude. It's not you. I have had my own struggles and battles but I shouldn't have taken them out on you."

Tatum smiled, it was small, tiny really, but it was there and he would take it. She laughed at whatever she was thinking and looked back to the barn. A flash went through him. He remembered what she looked like, completely restored to her former self. He remembered how beautiful he had thought she was then and looking at her now, he realised that he still thought she was beautiful. And now he thought she was strong, stronger than he first thought she was and that made her more attractive to him.

" Alright, Luv, here we go." Connor said as he stepped out of the barn with reins in both his hands. On his left was a big, beautiful, brown horse with white spots sprinkled across the animal's chest. On his right was a black horse who's right leg sported a strip of white up the front of it. " This lil beauty is mine, " Connor said, glancing up at the horse at his right. " and her name is Doc. This big boy, " he hitched his head to the left, " is Rocco and belongs to Murph."

" They are huge." Tatum said, looking up at both horses as they stared at her with their big, brown eyes. " And beautiful. I don't...I mean...I'm not sure I can ride one of them. They're so...huge."

" Aye, Luv, they aren't but don't worry about it. You won't be alone. You can ride with..." Connor's words were cut off as Murphy rushed forward.

" Me." Connor looked at his brother with a smirk while Tatum looked shocked. And was blushing. "Rocco's gentle, he will be better for you than Doc will." He finished quietly.

" Aye, he's gentle." Connor said, making Murphy look at him and Tatum at Rocco. Connor smirked again while Murphy quickly flipped him off.

" He's so big." She commented.

Murphy climbed onto Rocco first then reached his hand down to Tatum. Connor spoke softly to her, guiding her through mounting the horse. She grabbed the saddle with one hand and Murphy's hand with the other. Connor took a hold of her slender hips and pushed her up as Murphy pulled, both being mindful of her thin frame and her bruises.

" You alright?" Murphy asked quietly after he settled her in front of him.

" I think so." Tatum said as Connor walked over to his horse.

Murphy's arms slipped around her waist to grab at the reins, making her jump and blush. She closed her eyes and cursed herself. It's not like Murphy was the first hot guy she had ever been close too, than again, she had never said the things Lilith made her say before to a hot guy. Murphy had witnessed her screaming and cursing. Murphy had climbed on top of her while Lilith made her wiggle around like a slut. Yeah, Tatum was embarrassed. And it didn't help things that he smelled amazingly like spices, smoke, and vanilla. And he was warm, as his legs pressed into the back of hers and his wide, hard chest started to rest against her back, his scent and warmth threaten to take her over. Her eyes closed as the horse stepped to the side and Murphy came completely against her back, causing Tatum to jump and grabbed at his wrists.

" Shhh, relax." Murphy muttered as his head came to the side of hers. His lips brushed the outside of her ear and made Tatum want to shiver. Rocco snorted, stamped one his legs and twitched to the side again. " The animal can feel that you're nervous and that will make him nervous."

" I...I'm trying." Tatum whispered with her eyes shut. She had thought Murphy was hot in the pictures the news had showed of him but having him against her, whispering in her ear...she wanted to whimper and melt into him and his strength.

" Take some deep breaths. He won't hurt you." Murphy said as Connor nudged his horse forward without waiting for the couple. Murphy's eyes flicked towards his brother then back down to his wrists where Tatum was holding him so tightly her knuckles were white. " He can be your best friend if you let him, Lass. You just have to relax." He continued to mutter softly into her ear, noting her hands were loosening up. He praised her and coax her into relaxing more and more until she almost sank back into his chest. Her hands loosen on him but didn't let go completely.

" I'm okay." Tatum breathed out, opening her eyes. " I'm okay now."

" Alright. We're going to move now." Murphy said. He nudged the horse with his heels and as soon as Rocco started forward, Tatum jumped again, making Murphy chuckle. The sound rumbled out of his chest and through her back, giving her chills again. " I warned you, Lass."

" I know. I'm okay." Tatum said.

The brothers took her around their land, pointing to the areas they took the sheep too. They shared stories with her of the different ways they entertained themselves in the fields. Connor shared the stories while Murphy tried to defend himself again and Tatum laughed. All the stories Connor told were to embarrass Murphy or make him mad, that was something Tatum picked up on quickly.

" If he hadn't kept me up all night, I wouldn't have fallen asleep and fallen off my horse!" Murphy defended when Connor laughed about how Murphy had fallen off Rocco and into a mud pile.

" How did he keep you up?" Tatum asked as the horses walked side by side.

" He kept running into my room and jumping on top of me." Murphy defended, making her laugh.

" Now do this fella look like the type to act like that?" Connor asked her with a grin.

" Yes." Tatum said as she nodded. Connor grabbed his chest and leaned forward as he shook his head.

" You wound me!" He cried out, making her laugh again and Murphy smile. " You wound this poor Irishman, Luv." Tatum shook her head, smiling at Connor as the wind picked up. Murphy looked from his brother to the girl in front of him when she started to tremble.

" You cold?" He asked. Tatum glanced to the side at him then back forward again.

" A little." She admitted.

" Hold onto the reins." Murphy said, slipping the reins from his hands to hers.

Behind her, Tatum felt him moving after his arms disappeared from around her waist. She was dressed in jeans, a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie and a black beanie cap but the chilly wind and rain was starting to get through her. She had ignored the cold for as long as she could, loving being outside and listening to the boys talk, but now she couldn't control her shivering.

" Here, Lass." Murphy said as he placed his coat around her shoulders. His arms went around her waist and took back the rein as he said, " Put your arms in the sleeves and hold it close."

The warmth from the inside of his jacket and the scent that clung to it almost overwhelmed her and took her down. It had been so long since she had been with a man that she wanted to be with, so long since she had been this close to a man because she wanted to be, not because of Lilith and it felt good. As she closed his coat around her, sealing his body warm against hers, made Tatum smile and sighed.

" Let's get her back." Connor said before both boys turned their horses.

Once back at the barn, Connor dismounted his horse then helped Tatum down. She walked with the boys into the back of the barn and watched as they placed their horses in their stalls then replaced the saddles. They talked quietly together, laughing as Connor continued to roll out the stories. Connor had a lot of stories about him teasing Murphy but Murphy had just as many. Tatum laughed as Connor pretended to be hurt and Murphy smirked.

" Thank you, guys." Tatum said while they walked towards the cabin. " I haven't had a day like this in a long time."

" You deserve it." Connor said. " Damn it, I forgot to lock the barn up. Get her inside and when I come back, I will have more stories for you." Connor said with a wink to Tatum. She laughed as he turned and started to jog back to the barn.

" Your brother has a lot of stories." She commented as she held Murphy's coat tighter to her body.

" Aye. Most of them are pure bullshit." Murphy said. His hands were in his pockets again. They walked slowly together, their arms lightly brushing against each other, every few steps. Tatum laughed again.

" Yeah, I can kind of tell." She said.

" Murph!" They looked back as Connor flipped his brother off. " Fuck you!" Tatum shook her head and turned back around to continued towards the cabin. Murphy stopped walking to give Connor a double middle finger salute.

" Fuck you!" Tatum heard Murphy yell back.

A second later something like a frieght train hit Tatum and knocked her straight down unto her stomach. Her throat closed off as she was flipped around onto her back. Her arms flew up and over her head as she struggled to breath. Tears burned her eyes and she was suddenly aware that Connor was yelling and running. Murphy spun around, shocked to see her on the ground.

" Tatum!" Murphy yelled. " Get the priest!" Tatum's lungs started to burn as her back arched up from the pain. Her hands opened then closed at the same time Murphy dropped his knees beside her. Connor was yelling, speeding past them. Murphy's hand went over her neck as he tried to lift her head. " Breath, Lass, now!" At once her throat opened and her body was flilled with the cold, wet air that she sucked in deep. At the same time, she sank back into her head and They took her. Her left hand flew up to grab Murphy by the back of his head as a deep growl exploded out of her.

" Did you think we would just let it go!" Three voice screamed out as Murphy's head was tugged down. He grunted at the sharp pain from his hair being pulled. She pushed herself up with her eyes wide and filled with fire. " You do not trick us!"

" Fuck. You." Murphy grunted out.

" No! Fuck you!" The voices screamed. " You will pay for what you did to Lilith! You will pay and so will she!"


	8. Chapter 8

_* Pleaser Review! This might be a tough chapter for some and I'm sorry*_

The demons pulled Murphy by his hair as they forced Tatum's body to stand. Growls and curses were pouring from her mouth as her features twisted into a dark frown and scowl. Murphy grabbed at her wrist to stop her from pulling his hair out from the roots while trying to remember that her body was fragile. He stood with her, leaning down when she reached her full, petite height.

" You should have just fucked her!" The demons screamed.

" Let go of me." Murphy snapped.

" Fuck you!" The demons screamed again.

" I'm sorry, Lass." Murphy muttered before he twisted and jabbed her in the ribs, not hard enough to break anything but enough that he knew he had added to her healing bruises. The demons hissed and hunched over, letting him go at once.

" You shouldn't have done that!" The demons screamed.

Before he knew it was could, or would, happen, she grabbed at him by his chest and yanked him to her, only to hurl him away from her. The strength it took to toss him backwards to the ground was not something she should have possessed but Murphy found himself tumbling back. He hit the ground hard, mud splattering around him as he rolled. Murphy rolled to his stomach and looked up at her, pushing his upper body up as she yanked off his coat.

" The priest is coming." Murphy said as he stood up slowly.

" Like we are afraid of him! He is nothing to us!" The words were spit out at him as her head shook. She snarled through cletched teeth and her hands in fists. "You are nothing to us!"

" I kicked your ass before and I will do it again." Murphy said as they started to walk in a wide, slow circle.

" You?" A demonic laugh rang out as she tossed his coat to the ground. " You are trash. You think your new found faith is anything to be proud of! You are shit! Your brother is shit, your faith is shit! Once we drag her soul to hell, we will return for you! In your body we will kill your beloved brother and your good for nothing dad then bring you to Hell and make you watch as rape her ass over and over, tearing her to pieces! Only in hell, she will heal within hours so we can start all over again!"

" You won't be taking anyone to hell." Murphy said.

" Tatum!" Brian yelled as the door to the cabin banged open. Murphy's attention was pulled from her just long enough for her to spin around and take off running towards the barn.

" Murph!" Connor yelled as he jumped down the steps, pointing.

Murphy turned and the four men started to chase her. They were yelling and calling out to her but the possessed girl never stopped or turned around. The rain seemed to pick up into high gear, beating against them and slowing the men down while helping her with her speed. Murphy was in the lead and watched as the barn came into sight. The wide door flew open on it's own and she disappeared inside as a loud clap of thunder rolled over them. Murphy pushed forward, making his legs pump harder so he could reach her first.

And he did. She was standing in the barn, with her back to the door, looking around, when he ran inside. And he didn't stop running. He tucked down, praying that she would understand why he was going to do what he was about to do. With the storm raging outside the barn and the sheep screaming from the back, Murphy grabbed Tatum around her waist, hitting her back like they were two football players. As the two started to fall forward, Murphy twisted so he hit the ground first, breaking her fall. She half growled/half screamed as they started to roll and fight together.

" Fight them!" Murphy yelled out to her.

" We will feast on your organs while you're still alive!" One demon yelled.

Murphy flipped them around so she was flat on her back and he was straddling her. He grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head. His thighs squeezed her at her waist in an effort to hold her still as she bucked and thrashed around against him. Her head whipped to the side suddenly. It lifted up and her jaws snapped, trying to bite at his arm.

" Let her go!" Murphy yelled as the other men ran into the barn.

" Murph!" Connor yelled.

" Get her head!" Murphy answered. She thrust her hips up, forcing Murphy to press his down, pinning her against the ground harder.

" Your friend, Rocco, is in hell with us!" Demon A screamed as Connor ran to her head.

" Do not listen to anything the demons say." The priest said as he and the fathers rushed forward. Connor came to his knees while she continued to growl, spit and bite at Murphy's arm. Connor grabbed her head by her cheeks and forced her head to be still and flat against the ground.

" Let us go!" Demon B took his turn with her vocal cords.

" Not on your fucking life." Connor snapped.

" Get her legs!" Murphy tossed behind him. Brian grabbed her ankles and straighten her legs behind he sat down on them so she was completely pinned by her dad, Murphy, and Connor. " Tatum, pull out!"

" Fuck you!" Demon C snapped. Murphy refused to think of them as having names. They would forever be known as A, B, and C.

" Do you know what we do to Rocco!" Demon A shouted.

" We skin him alive, inch of skin by fucking inch of skin!" Demon B shouted.

" We let it grow back so we can start over again!" Demon C let out.

" Shut the fuck up!" Connor snapped, fighting to keep her head still.

" Ignore them!" The priest said, fumbling through the pages of his bible as he started to sweat.

" Boys, the prayer." Duce said calmly, coming to her right side.

" Boys, the prayer." Demon A mocked. " You think we give a shit about that stupid ass prayer!"

" We will own your boys!" Demon B growled out as she continued to fight, trying everything to twist out of the three men's hold.

" We feast on their eyes!" Demon C snapped. " Murphy has already been claimed by me!"

The MacManus' started their family prayer, each speaking it loudly to try and drown out her screams and taunts. Father McMalloy picked a passage out of the bible and started to read. Brian bowed his head and closed his eyes, trying hard to not let his tears fall. This was the worst she had ever been. This was the loudest she had screamed and the hardest she had fought. He could feel her heels digging into the dirt floor of the barn, hear how hoarse her voice was getting already.

For what seemed like an hour the screams, fighting, and growling carried on. The MacManus' never let up on their prayer and the priest continued to read from the bible. The demons screamed about Rocco, Tatum's mouth, Duce's mother and the priest's decreased sister. They taunted the boys, promising Tatum great amounts of pain if they didn't let her up but still the prayers and reading continued.

At the end of that hour, Father McMalloy reached into his pocket and pulled out a Communion wafer. He blessed it then pressed it into her forehead. At once, the screams reached an entirely new level. Her eyes went shut and Murphy swore smoke was raising up from her skin as the priest held the wafer against her and prayed loudly. The screams overtook the thunder as it rolled through the darkening sky. The sheep were crying out and the horses were beating against their stalls doors.

" Daddy!" Tatum screamed out in the demons voices. " It's burns!"

" Stop!" Brian called out.

" It's not her!" Murphy snapped.

" Please! Please! Please!" Tatum screamed over and over again.

" Enough!" Brian yelled as he jumped up. " You're hurting her! Please! You're killing her!" He started to cry, pushing the priest away from his daughter. Connor was next. Brian hit him in shoulders, catching the younger man off guard and knocking him over. " Get off her! Leave her alone! She can't take this!" He yelled to Murphy who refused to move until Duce put his hand on his son's shoulder. The second Murphy started to raise, Brian grabbed his sobbing daughter up and pulled her into his lap. " Da's here." He was whimpering over and over.

Brian soothed her hair back then held her close to him, rocking them both from his spot on the floor. Murphy frowned as she opened her eyes and looked at him over Brian's shoulder. Looked at him with black, dead, demon eyes. Her sobs stopped as she flashed a horrible smile a second before she growled again and sank her teeth into Brian's neck.

" What the fuck!" Connor yelled as they all reacted at once.

Brian screamed as blood started to trickle down his neck. Duce and the priest grabbed at him while the twins grabbed Tatum. They pulled her off her dad, ripping some of his skin the process. Brian's hand flew up to his neck as his eyes went wide in shock. Connor tossed Tatum behind him as if she was nothing more than a rag doll. She hit the ground and rolled. Connor moved to her dad at once while Murphy turned and looked at Tatum. She was laughing as she turned from her side to her back then sat up. Blood dripped down her chin while she spit the remaining blood from her mouth.

" Stupid fuck!" Demon A laughed. Murphy stalked over to her as she started to stand.

" Let her go!" He yelled.

" Eat shit!" Demon B laughed.

At once, Murphy grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her straight back until the wall of the barn hit her back. She laughed like nothing he had heard before, blood mixed in with her spit and dripped out. Her forehead had a burn mark that matched the wafer the Priest had held against her skin and it was bright red and blistered. Murphy slapped her across her cheek, causing her head to rock to one side.

" Do it again, big boy. I like it when you're rough." Demon C purred out when she looked at him again.

" Let her go!" Murphy yelled, slapping her again.

" Do it harder!" Demon C yelled. Slap to the left cheek.

" Murphy!" He heard Duce yell.

" Fuck you!" Murphy yelled in her face, slapping her again.

" Fuck you, fuck me! Fuck everyone!" Demon B yelled. Another slap went across her cheek.

" Hit us again!" Demon A yelled.

" Punch us! We like it when you're rough!" His face harden as his mouth turned down into a frown. He drew his fist back as the demons cheered him on and laughed. He sent it flying forward...

Duce grabbed his arm and stopped the fist from slamming into Tatum's face a second before he struck her.

" No." Duce snapped firmly as he stared at Murphy. Murphy was panting and didn't realize it as he stared back at his dad. " No." Duce repeated.

" Don't listen to him. Do it." Demon C begged. " Hit us." Duce looked at her then and frowned.

" Shut up." He said firmly before looking back to his son. " Let her go, Murphy." Murphy's hand tighten on her shoulder as he shook his head slowly. Duce nodded with his expression soften. " Let her go, Son. You're better than this. You won't punch her. You would never forgive yourself if you did. Just let her go and let me handle this." Murphy's hand loosen. And slipped from her shoulder. His fingertips skimmed down her arm before he nodded and stepped away from her as she giggled with the horrible demon giggle she had. Duce looked back at her, his expression changing at once. " And we are done here." He said, a second before his arm shot up.

He pressed a cloth over her mouth and nose. A cloth covered in chloroform that Brian had given him. It took only a second before her eyes rolled back into her head and her body gave out. Duce dropped the cloth to swept her up and over his shoulder. One of his arms went across the back of her knees as he turned to face the other men. Murphy was staring at the barn floor, feeling embarrassed and ashamed that he had lost control of himself. Connor and the priest were comforting Brian as he held his hand to his wound.

" Let's get her to bed then clean Brian up." Duce said.

The Priest helped Brian cross the yard, ahead of everyone else. Duce was next, with Tatum still over his shoulder. Connor and Murphy were last. Murphy started her body as her arms swung careless from side to side against Duce's body. One of Connor's hands were planted on his brother's shoulders and every so often, Connor would squeeze him. The storm had blown over and everything was completely quiet. The bugs, no birds, nothing.


	9. Chapter 9

_* Please Review! *_

And the silence continued as they made their way into the cabin. Brian and the Priest went into the bathroom to clean his wound while Duce and the twins made their way up the stairs. Connor's hand stayed on his brother's shoulder, squeezing it tightly every few minutes. Tatum didn't make a sound or a movement except for the slight swing of her body and free handing arms as Duce climbed the stairs and entered her room.

He walked calmly over to the bed, asking his sons to pull the blankets down from the made bed. Connor moved to walk around the bed and together they took a hold of the blankets and started to roll them down. Duce climbed onto the bed then and put one hand on her back and the other on her head. He leaned down, lowing her gently down and placing her against the bed. He pushed the hair from her face and sighed.

" Connor, get a wash cloth. I want to clean the blood from her mouth then I need you boys to help me get her out of this sweatshirt. We must be quick. Brian said the chemical won't keep her under as long as the medicine." Duce said softly.

Together the three worked. Connor wiped her lips and chin, making sure there was no more visible blood left. Murphy slipped his arms under hers and pulled her up so she was sitting up. Her head looped forward, coming to rest against his shoulder. She stuttered and sighed but didn't open her eyes. Duce took a hold of one of her arms while Connor had the other. They carefully pulled them out of her sweatshirt then worked the collar over her head and when she was free, Murphy laid her down before pulling away completely. He slipped from the bed then covered her slowly.

" Are we losing her, Da?" Connor asked quietly while they stared down at her.

" I'm afraid that might be a possibility." Duce answered.

For the rest of the day and into the night, the demons took her over every three to four hours, each time the possession seem to grow more violent. She sat up with her arms strapped to the bed, rocking back and forth and screaming. She mocked them in their prays, pulled at their fears, and taunted Murphy for laying his hands on her.

" Please." Tatum whispered after one possession. Brian was sitting at the end of her bed, crying quietly.

" Please, what, Luv?" Duce asked as he crouched down by the bed. He started to run his hand through her hair slowly.

Murphy was leaning against the wall, across from Brian. He was slightly hutched over and was staring with his heart beating hard in his chest and a bead of sweat slipping down his cheek. Connor was sitting in the rocker by the window, repeatedly running one of his hands over his face. The priest was trying to comfort Brian. They were all tired, stressed and scared.

" I can't do this anymore." Tatum whispered as she laid on her side.

She briefly opened her eyes to give Duce a tired look before she closed them again. She was stripped down to a tee shirt, a cotton pair of shorts and a pair of socks in an effort to keep her cool. After a possession, as the demons left her, she would break out into a full body sweat so Brian and Duce had helped her change because she was to weak to do it herself. They wanted to try and keep her as cool as they could get her.

" Yes, you can." Duce whispered.

" No, no, I can't. Please, just kill me." Tatum begged. " I can't keep doing this."

" You have to be strong now, Luv. Two more weeks, that's all you need to endure. You can do this." Duce reassured her. Her tongue shot up and swept across her lips, with the tip shaking slightly. Her breath sawed out of her, making her chest raise and fall quickly. She whimpered, blinking her eyes again before shutting them.

" Please, Duce. They are killing me. I can feel it." She sighed, making her lips part. She tried to shake her head again but wasn't sure she had actually done it or not. " Please. Please." As she whispered, her voice completely faded out, her breathing started to slow and her body relaxed.

" Rest well, Luv." Duce said.

BDSBDSBDS

_Something caused Murphy to wake with a start. He jumped and uncrossed his arms from his chest to have one fly up and grab the back of the couch. He pulled himself up and looked around in confusion. Why was he on couch? He looked across the room to the clock that sat on the mantel above the fireplace. It was midnight. He should still be on watch in Tatum's room. Murphy swung his legs around and let his hands on to rest against his knees. He shook his head to clear it before he started to stand. Connor must have slept through his alarm._

_" Murphy." He looked to his left at the voice._

_" What the hell?" He asked himself when he saw the door to the cabin was hanging open. Murphy started around the couch, patting his side for his gun but not finding anything. He was frowning as fog rolled in from the yard. " What the fuck?" He asked, placing his hands on the sides of the doorway when he reached it. " Tatum?" She was standing in the yard, facing the cabin with a smile. _

_" Murphy, come out to me, please." She asked, holding one hand out. Murphy felt a pull towards her that seemed uncontrollable. He walked out of the cabin and turned towards the stairs, never taking his eyes from her as she continued to smile._

_" You aren't Tatum, are you?" Murphy asked, taking the stairs slowly while staring at her._

_" No, I'm not. My name is Arella. I'm a messenger angel." She said. Murphy hit the ground and started walking towards her._

_" Why do you look like Tatum?" He asked. She smiled again, still with her hand out._

_" Because you want me too." She answered simply. " If you don't like it, change it. I'm an angel. I look however you want me too." Murphy reached out and slipped his hand into hers without thinking. She pulled him the rest of the way towards her, turning as she did. She started to walk, leading him out towards the fields. Murphy turned to look behind him but the cabin was gone. He frowned and looked back to Tatum._

_" This is a dream." He commented. Tatum, or Arella, looked back at him and smiled._

_" Yes, it is." She said, before turning back around. _

_The angel pulled on her arm, pulling Murphy up to her side. She interlaced their fingers and leaned against him, smiling the entire time as they strolled. She reached her other hand up and took a hold of his arm. Murphy put his hands in his pockets and smiled as the feeling of absolute love and acceptance washed over him. He moved into her more, not even caring the scene around them was changing. Instead of walking down the dirt path to the fields, they were walking through a field filled with wildflowers. The sun was shining down, warming his entire body. Murphy closed his eyes and tilted his head back, loving how the warmth felt against his skin._

_" Do you like it out here?" The angel asked. _

_" Aye." Murphy said as they stopped walking. He lowered his head down and turned so he could face the angel. She smiled up at him, letting go of him. She brought her hands up to cup his face. She sighed, continuing to stare up into his eyes._

_" We have a message for you." She whispered._

_" Where is Connor?" Murphy asked._

_" We don't need him. This message is not for him, it is for you." She whispered._

_" Why?" Murphy asked, looking from one eye to the other and back again._

_" Because, you need to understand that she is the key for you. Her struggles are your struggles. Your strength is her strength." The angel said._

_" How?" Murphy asked in confusion. " How is she the key? Why is she my key?"_

_" Before she came here, your faith was lacking. You were filled with doubts and uncertainty. You felt lost and alone. You wanted for something that seemed out of your reach." Murphy's hands came up to take a light hold of her waist as he nodded. He couldn't help himself. The closer he was to her, the more he wanted too, had to touch her. _

_" Aye." Was all he could say._

_" The Lord knew that as he knows all things. See, he has such great plans for you but you were becoming so lost to him. And if we lose you, we lost your brother then your father and we need all three MacManus'. Not just one or two but all of yours. You are so important to his work." She said as she rubbed his cheeks with the pads of her thumbs._

_" So why did they take her?" Murphy asked._

_" She stopped seeing the joy in the life the Lord had given her. She was lost as well. She wanted for things that she couldn't find. She started to not believe in the Lord at all." Was the angel's answer. " They saw a crack in her faith and they jumped on it."_

_" But why? Why did He let them do it? Why did He let this happen to her? I can't understand that." Murphy said as he stared down at her. _

_" Sometimes bad things happen so the faithful can be pulled back. The Lord needed you together but she had a life in America and you were here. If he brought her here on a trip, it would have done nothing for either of you. You may of met, may have had a good time then nothing. Both of you would have went back into your lives and continued on being unfaithful and lost. He needed a way to bring her to you and keep you two together, the demons provided that and they didn't even know it. In letting her be taken over, he knew it could help your faith. And save your brother and father too." She explained._

_" Why did he want to bring us together? Just to restore my faith? That doesn't take of my wants and the plans I had for myself." Murphy asked. With a smile, the angel shook her head slowly._

_" I don't have all the answers and I'm sorry." She said, making him sigh. " All I know is that she is the key to making you believe again and we need you to believe."_

_" Will she live through this?" Murphy hated asking so many questions but the more the angel talked, the more confused Murphy grew._

_" I don't know. Only He knows. I can only tell you what He has told me and that I have." She said._

_" I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help her. We are trying everything we know to do." Murphy admitted._

_" Than try harder. Dig deeper into yourself. If she lives, I can promise you the reward will not be hers alone. If she dies, the lose will be great. And painful." The angel stepped up and tilted Murphy's head down. She pressed her lips to his forehead first, the his right cheek, and his left cheek. She let him pull his head up again and smiled into his eyes. " Go now, Murphy. Go and be strong."_

_" Go where?" Murphy whispered._

_" Murphy." Tatum's voice whimpered from behind him although the Tatum in front of him said nothing. She only smiled. " Murphy, please." He looked back him as the cabin came into view. He frowned as he felt the angel's touch start to leave him. Murphy turned back around to see her stepping away from him, taking with her the love, warmth and acceptance he had felt coming off her in waves._

_" Wait." Murphy said, reaching out. _

_" Murphy, please, wake up." Tatum whispered. The angel smiled as she walked backwards. _

_" Wait, Angel, please." Murphy said._

_" Go to her. She needs you now." The angel whispered. She brought her right hand to her lips. She kissed it quickly then blow the kiss towards him._

_" Please!" Tatum cried out quietly from inside the cabin, and in his head._

* So the angel in this chapter is real as well. In my readings it says that angels can appear as people want them to look, which is why she looks like Tatum. Arella is a messenger angel for the Lord.*


	10. Chapter 10

_* Please Review! Just to clear things up, the angel said Tatum did not get possessed so her and Murphy could be brought together. She was possessed because she was losing her faith and that made her an easy target for the demons. She was sent to the saints because the Lord knew her possession would restore Murphy's faith. Sometimes one is sacrificed for the good of many. *_

Murphy shot up in the rocker, sitting up fast, and looked around quickly. He was inside Duce's room, sitting in the rocker, just like he hd been when he had fallen asleep. Murphy's eyes shot over to the bed as his breath paused. Tatum was laying in the middle of the bed with her arms and legs spread and the blankets pulled down. Her head was turned towards him and she was panting and sweating while she stared at him.

" Murphy, please." She begged. Murphy shot out of his chair and was over to the bed in a heartbeat. He dropped to his knees and reached out for her hand as her body jolted. A look of pain flashed over her face as she swallowed hard.

" Are they coming, Lass?" He whispered.

" I don't know. Something is hurting me." She whimpered, her voice stuttering as she tried to pant through the pain that was shooting down her body. She jolted again, turning her head towards the ceiling and closing her eyes. It was a stabbing, sharp pain that lanced through her, starting in the middle of her body then jetting up her torso and down her legs.

" Where?" Murphy asked as his hand came in contact with hers.

Tatum started to shake as the middle of her body shot up and off the bed. Up and down her body jumped, off the bed her hips and lower back went before they slammed back down again. Murphy let her hand go and started to stand, ready to get the others when she went completely still and quiet. Her hips started to raise up, then her back then the rest of her until she was almost floating in the air. Her head hung down as she floated slowly side to side, raising higher and higher. She looked like she was being lifted in an invisible set of arms.

" What the fuck?" Murphy whispered.

Higher and higher she moved up. Murphy reached out again to touch her but she shot straight up and flipped over. Murphy stepped back and stared in disbelief. Tatum's ascension slowed as she reached the ceiling. Her legs straighted out and crossed at her ankles while her arms went straight out. Her hair and clothes were floating around her like she was under water or caught in the wind. Slowly, she titled her head to the side and opened her eyes, finding Murphy right away.

" Is this position familiar to you?" Lilith asked. Murphy narrowed his eyes and nodded, climbing onto the bed at the same time. " The only difference here is when it was him, he was covered in blood. Would you like to see her covered in blood?"

" I'd like it if you let her come down." Murphy said, reaching one of his arms up to her. " Please."

" Why do you care so much for a girl you do not know?" Lilith asked. " Just let us have her."

" I can't do that." Murphy answered.

" She is nothing to you." Lilith said.

" Why do you want her?" Murphy asked, his other arm coming up as he stretched up to try and take a hold of her.

" It is not her we want. We want you all, all his creations. After we take her, we will find someone else and take them, over and over again. This is the way it has been since The Great One took his fall from Heaven and it is the way it will continue until he raises again." Lilith said.

" You can't take them all and she has people fighting for her. Give her to me and move on to an easier target." Murphy said. His finger tips scrapped across the hem her shirt but she floated to the side, pulling it from him before he could get a good hold of her.

" But if we take her, we will earn her father, your brother, your father, " Lilith tilted her head again and smiled. " and you." She finished with in a sing song voice.

" You won't earn anyone. We will never pull away from the Lord." Murphy said. Lilith lifted her head from the ceiling and hissed.

" Do not say his name to me!" She snapped.

" You are wasting your time with her." Murphy said. A low growl started to rumble out of her chest as her head went back to rest against the ceiling again.

" Do you not understand anything? When she falls, when we take her, her father will be crushed. He won't be able to handle it, knowing she will be in pain forever will cause him to take his own life. Knowing he has failed, the priest will pull away from the church. You will live forever with the guilt of her death and will completely lose your faith, turning to the drink. Connor will watch you spiral out of control and it will be to much for him to bare. He will leave the cabin and your family. Your father will kick you out because you will do nothing but drink and your little family will be over, so see, in this possession and her death, we affect six of his creations. Three of which, are his most faithful." Lilith snapped.

" Murph!" Connor's voice yelled from the other side of the door a second before he started to pound on it.

" Open the door, Son!" Duce called out as the door handle rattled.

" You know all this for sure?" Murphy asked, trying to grab at her again.

" Yes, of course." Lilith said.

" Open the door!" Brian yelled.

" So there is nothing we can do?" Murphy asked, snagging her shirt again.

" No. You should just give up." Lilith said.

" Murphy!" The priest called out.

" I'm not the giving up type." Murphy said, starting to pull her down by her shirt.

" She belongs to us." Lilith hissed.

" She belongs to the Lord." Murphy snapped. Lilith screamed out at the name, causing the other men to beat harder on the door and push against it.

" I don't want to hear his name!" She screamed down to him.

But Murphy ignored her, choosing, instead, to start his family prayer. Lilith snapped at him and covered Tatum's face with her hands. Murphy pulled harder on her shirt, watching how her body started to sway side to side like a leave floating to the ground. His voice rose louder as Lilith screamed and shook Tatum's head.

" Shut up!" She yelled. " Stop praying!"

Murphy's hands inched up her shirt as he tugged harder. He took a hold of her ribs, praying louder and faster. Lilith's screams died down until there was nothing but the sound of the men at the door. Murphy guided Tatum to turn as he pulled her down and into his arms. One hand moved down her body so he could slip it under her knees while his other arm went across her shoulders. He pulled her into his chest as he sunk down to his knees on the bed. The lock to the door clicked and a second later, it was pushed open.

" Why did you lock it?" Connor yelled.

" I didn't." Murphy said, staring down at Tatum's face. He brought a hand to her cheek and stroked the back of his knuckles against her skin. " Lass, are you okay?" He asked softly as the others filed around the bed, asking questions. Tatum's eyes fluttered open then closed again.

" Thank you." She whispered.

" What happen?" Brian asked in rush, climbing onto the bed.

" Demon C happen." Murphy said without looking away from her while he continued to touch her.

" The others will be coming." Brian said softly.

" Aye." Murphy agreed, nodding.

" We should start the praying." The priest said, moving around the bed.

Connor knelt down at the bottom of the bed. Father McMalloy was on the left of the bed, Duce and Brian were on the right. Murphy stayed kneeling in the center of the bed with Tatum in his arms but turned so he was facing his brother. The four men clasped their hands together and closed their eyes. Father McMalloy lead the prayer, asking for guidance and protection for them all. He asked for Tatum be to kept safe and alive. Murphy held her against him with his head bowed and his eyes shut. After the prayer, Father McMalloy opened his bible and started to read from a passage he had chosen earlier in the night.

At once Tatum started to react. She tensed and started to grunt. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as one hand grabbed at the back of Murphy's shirt and the other at his chest. Murphy cracked his eyes to look down at her at the same time she started to pant. The growling was next. Murphy tighten his hold on her, ready for her to start fighting. He knew he should have laid her down and strapped her to the bed but both her wrists were bandaged up from where her skin had be rubbed raw or cut from the restraints and he wanted to give her a break. Besides, he knew he could take any punches or scratches she was made to give him.

" Let us go!" The demons screamed as she tried to fling her body back.

" Shut it!" Murphy snapped.

Tatum's legs kicked before she dug them into the mattress and tried to kick and push out of his hold. Murphy struggled to hold her and rocked to the side with the force of her kicks but manged to keep a tight hold of her. He opened his eyes fully and met the demons glare. She balled her hands into fists and started to pound against his body.

" I will eat your soul!" Demon A screamed. The prayers of the men grew louder as Murphy frowned.

" Your threats are the same and getting boring, Demon." Murphy snapped.

" Eat shit!" Demon B snapped before it raised Tatum's head and spit into Murphy's face.

" Oh well, that's a new one." Murphy said. He lifted his shoulder and turned his head to use it to wipe away the wetness before he smiled down at her while she continued to fight. She pulled at his shirt, yanked on his hair and scratched his neck. " What else do you have for me?"

" I'll kill your brother." Demon A snapped.

" Heard that one before." Murphy said.

" We will kill your dad!" Demon B threaten.

" He's old anyway." Murphy dismissed the threat easily. Her features changed, his lack of concern for their words was clearing pissing them of more. Her eyes grew even dark, her cheeks redden, and she snarled up at him.

" Their skin will be roasted over an open fire in hell!" Demon A bit out.

" Put it with graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows and we'll have ourselves some smores." Murphy said with a chuckle.

" What is wrong with you!" Demon B yelled.

" You. Don't. Scare. Me." Murphy said, leaning down so he was inches of her face.

" That is a mistake. A mistake she will pay for." Demon A said in a surprisingly calm voice.

At once Tatum's body stilled and went limp in his arms. Her head fell back at the same time her arms fell from his body. Murphy glanced up at Connor, who was looking at him with a frown. Murphy looked back down at Tatum as the prayers died down and the entire room grew silent. He gently shifted his arm to tilt her head up. He leaned down and placed his cheek close to her mouth.

" Is she dead?" Brian asked with his voice shaking.

" No." Murphy answered, looking back down at her. " I can see her heart beating in her neck but I don't know if she's breathing." He frowned and squeezed her. " Tatum, Lass, can you hear me?" At once her body stiffen up and her hands went into fists. A second later her eyes opened then rolled back in her head and she started to tremble violently. Brian launched himself onto the bed and over to the couple.

" What's happening?!" Connor yelled as the other men jumped up.

" She's having a seizure!" Brian yelled. " Lay her down on the bed and don't touch her!"

Murphy laid her down carefully then all men watched as her body locked in the seizure. Brian sat at the edge of the bed, to be sure she didn't fall off of it. Father McMalloy started to pray quietly to himself while Connor and Duce stood together. Murphy's eyes moved from her to her dad, deciding to base his movements on the doctor. After what seemed like forever, the seizure slowed then stopped altogether. Brian placed one hand on her neck and the other on her chest. He leaned down and closed his eyes.

" Is she dead now?" Connor asked. Brian shook his head and counted her heartbeats silently.

" No." He answered, opening his eyes again to look at her face. He sighed, bring his hands to her face. " Tatum?" He whispered, slowly sweeping his fingertips down the sides of her face.

" Why did she have a seizure?" Duce asked.

" They may have cut off the oxygen supply to her brain. It's not the first time this had happen. She has had them before. They started after the demons came." Brian said. " Tatum? Come on, my wee babe. It's Da. Open your eyes for me."

" Boys, let's leave him be." Duce said, motioning for his sons to follow him out of the room.

" No." Murphy said, still staring down at her. " I'm going to stay with her."


	11. Chapter 11

_* Please Review! *_

" Let's just get her to the top of the bed then I need to monitor her heart and hook her IV up." Brian said, climbing off the bed.

As Murphy followed his example and slipped down to the floor while Brian moved to the dresser and started to gather up the supplies he had brought with him from his office in America. Murphy put one arm under her knees and the other across her shoulders. As carefully as he could, he lifted her off the bed. Her head fell back as her arms went limp with one behind him and one in front of him. Murphy stared down at her face while he walked around the bed to lay her down at the top. He leaned down, carefully placing her in the bed then covering her up. He stepped back as her dad moved in to take his spot.

" Can you either leave or turn around? I'm going to lift her shirt to took her up to a heart monitor." Brian said over his shoulder.

" Aye. I'll be just outside the door." Murphy said. He cast one last look at Tatum before he walked around the bed and crossed the room.

Brian waited until Murphy left the room and closed the door behind him before he pulled up Tatum's shirt. He closed his eyes and shook his head at the sight of her once pale, clear skin marred with healing bruises and the scar he had sutured up in the middle of her possession. Tears welled in his eyes again but the father refused to give in and let them fall.

" It's going to okay." He whispered to himself before he opened his eyes again. " It's going to be okay, my Babe." He unwrapped some of the cardiac sensors and started placing them on her chest. Two in the center of her chest, three under her left beast and another against her left side. " It's going to be okay, Joy. I promise I will keep our babe safe. I will promise I will get her through this, one way or another." He muttered as he attracted each sensor to a monitor.

He made the promise to his dead wife and his daughter over and over. It was the same promise he had made since he accepted that the possession was real. The promise he held on tight too. He had too, if he didn't...he'd lose it and he knew it. As Brian pulled down her shirt and reached out to turn on the monitor, he noticed his hand was shaking. He silently yelled at himself to pull it together then carried on with his work. A few minutes later, the room was filled with the sound of her heartbeat ticking away.

" We need to talk." Connor snapped when Murphy walked out of the bedroom. " You want to tell me why you were cracking fucking jokes with a demon?" Murphy frowned, looking to his dad then his brother again.

" Outside." Murphy said. " Father, will you stay here in case Brian needs you?"

" Aye." The priest said with a nod.

Murphy spared around look to his brother before he bushed passed the three men and headed towards the stairs. Without another word, Connor and Duce followed after him. They walked down the stairs in a single file line, with Murphy reaching into one of the pockets of his jeans and pulling out his pack of cigarettes. He slipped out one hand rolled and handed it over his shoulder, not at all surprised when his brother took it almost right away. He pulled out his own smoke then replaced the pack to his pocket.

None of them spoke as they hit the bottom level of the cabin. Murphy pulled out his lighter and brought it up to his smoke. He light it quickly and inhaled as deeply as he could, needing the smoke now more than ever. His lighter was passed over his shoulder and taken from Connor, only to be passed back after a few seconds. His brother's smoke flowed over Murphy's shoulder as Murphy stuffed the lighter back into his pocket.

Murphy reached the door first, pushing it open and stepping out into the cold, dark night. He sighed, walking over to the railing. He turned and leaned against it, grasping the smoke between his middle and first finger. Connor was out next then Duce. Connor shut the door behind his dad and leaned against it while Duce took his spot in his old rocker.

" I had a dream, right before this last possession." Murphy started when he pulled the smoke out of his mouth. " I was talking to an angel. She told me the reasons Tatum was taken and why she ended up here. When I woke, she was being taken over by C. C told me somethings."

" Like?" Connor asked impatiently.

" Like what will happen if they win. Her dad will kill himself, Father McMalloy will leave the church, I will drink myself stupid out of guilt, Connor leaves the house and Da kicks me out." Murphy admitted. Duce nodded, rocking his chair slowly.

" So she dies and we all just fall apart?" Connor asked. Murphy brought his smoke up, inhaled and nodded.

" How can you trust what a demon told you, Son?" Duce asked. Murphy turned his head away from his family and exhaled before looking back to his dad.

" The angel said that is she dies it will cause us all great pain." He said.

" So how does that explain you talking about smores with the demon?" Connor snapped.

" We are losing, in case you didn't notice." Murphy snapped back. " All this praying and bible reading helps with the possession when it hits but it's not getting ready of them. They keep coming back. We need to change what we are doing."

" So you decide to crack jokes?" Connor bit out.

" You saw how they reacted! Instead of us getting upset, they got upset!" Murphy defended.

" And gave her a fucking seizure!" Connor yelled.

" They are expecting us to pray and beg for her life. They expect us to order them to leave her. They aren't expecting us to laugh. They are trying to upset us, they are expecting us to be upset but if we aren't, they won't know how to handle it." Murphy said.

" That's the fucking stupidest idea I have ever heard." Connor snapped.

" I went along with your stupid, fucking rope idea and it worked!" Murphy shot back.

" My rope was a good idea!" Connor yelled, standing up straight.

" Boys." Duce said calmly.

" Nearly got us killed!" Murphy yelled, standing up to meet his brother's stare.

" But it didn't, so shut it!" Connor yelled back.

" Boys!" Duce said, sharply. The twins stopped yelling but didn't look at their dad, choosing instead to glare at each other. Stress of the past two weeks events making them all feel tired and on edge. " We will not fight between us. Now relax and step away from each other."

" He started it." Connor said, but did what his dad said.

" You started it." Murphy snapped, leaning back against the railing.

" Well taunting them didn't help this time!" Connor snapped.

" So maybe we don't taunt them, maybe we ignore them." Murphy said.

" I think Murphy has a good idea and I'm willing to give it a try." Duce said. " After we talk with Brian and Father McMalloy about it, we will do what Murphy says. We will ignore the demons and see if that does anything."

" I can't believe we are going along with this stupid idea." Connor muttered.

" Connor, listen to Daddy." Duce said, stopping the rocker to lean forward. He caught both his sons' eyes with that one word. Daddy was used only when Duce needed both their attention and had something important to say. " We will change tactics and do what Murphy has suggested. And we will do it without fighting between us. The last thing we need to do is fight. We have to be together and united. We will not let them come between us, is that understood?" Duce asked. The brothers shot each other another round of glares, causing Duce to clap his hands and thunder out, " Boys!"

" Aye, Da." Connor said, his shoulders dipping down as he looked back at his dad.

" Aye, we understand." Murphy said.

BDSBDSBDS

" So we are going to ignore them?" Brian asked as he sat down at the old table.

" Aye." Murphy said, coming up behind the tired, stressed dad and setting down a cup of coffee for him.

" Thanks, Lad." Brian said. Both his hands wrapped around the hot cup and he closed his eyes to sigh while bring it up to his face. He inhaled the comforting scent as deeply as he could before he opened his eyes and took a small drink.

" Nothing else we are doing is working." Connor said from his spot in the chair off to Brian's left. Connor had one arm on the table and one on the back of his chair. He leaned his head down to rub at his forehead with the fingers of the hand resting on his chair.

" We just want to try something new." Murphy said.

" Father, do you think the demons know anything she knows? Do you think if we told her what we are going to do, they will know it too?" Duce asked. The priest cleared his throat and made a grab for his own cup.

" I don't know. She knows things they have said so they might be aware of what is told to her although when they leave her, they might completely leave her to possess another. I have no way of knowing." He said.

" Should we ask her than?" Connor asked.

" I'll do it." Murphy spoke up, bring all the eyes to his face as he set his cup down. " I will ask her if she knows."

" Do it now, Son. We have no idea when they will come for her next and we need to try and figure out what we are going to do and say when they do." Duce said.

BDSBDSBDS

Murphy slowly pushed open the door to his dad's room and was quickly greeted by the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and her labored breathing. It was always labored now. Over the past few days and nights it seemed like she was struggling more and more to breath and they didn't know why. Like everything else that was happening, they had no answers.

Murphy stared at her after closing the door behind him. He walked around the bed with a frown on his face. Tatum was laying on her back, with the cords from the monitors sticking out of the bottom her shirt and running up to the machine. Her left arm was out straight with an IV port and line sticking out of her forearm. She had the blankets pulled up to her waist and her head was turned towards the side. She was sleeping but was it was not restful. Her hands and fingers were twitching every so often and she was grimacing in her sleep as if she was in pain.

" Lass?" Murphy asked softly as he knelt down by the bed side. He reached out and gently placed his fingertips against her arm. " Wake up." He whispered, gliding his fingers down her skin until he came to the deep purple bruise that circled her wrist right above her bandage. Tatum moaned softly, rubbing her cheek against the the pillow slowly. " Tatum, open your eyes." he said again as his fingers continued to rub against her bruise. Tatum rolled to her side so she facing him and started to blink her eyes open.

" Murphy." She whispered before closing her eyes again.

" Aye, Lass. I need to ask you something. I need you to stay awake for a little bit, can you do that for me?" He whispered.

" I'm tired." Tatum whispered. " Will you hold my hand for a while? Just until I fall back asleep." His hand slipped down to hers as she spread her fingers. He interlocked their fingers together and leaned forward.

" If I tell you something, will they know?" Murphy asked. Tatum frowned but open her eyes again.

" I...don't know." She admitted.

" They didn't know they were here when you came too in the barn. Did you know you were coming here?" Murphy asked.

" My dad told me he had a friend here, in Ireland, and I knew we were taking a trip but I didn't know where." She said.

" Do you think they know? If you had to guess." Murphy urged.

" I think they know my thoughts when I think them. I know if I yell in my head when they are possessing me, they answer me." Tatum said. And that answer enough for Murphy. If he told her their plan, and she thought of it, at all, when she was possessed, the demons would know and the plan wouldn't work, so Murphy won't tell her anything. " Why?" Murphy reached out and placed his other hand on her arm.

" It's nothing, Lass. Rest now." He said. She sighed but closed her eyes and squeezed his hand.

" When I die, will you help my dad? Will you be there for him?" She asked.

" You're not going to die." Murphy said quickly. She opened her eyes again and smiled slowly, bring her other hand up to his face.

" You shaved and you cut your hair." She said, brushing her knuckles against his cheek. Murphy smiled and nodded.

" Aye, Lass. You said I didn't look like myself. Hurt this fella's feelings, you did." He said, making her laugh quietly.

" So you cut your hair and shaved your beard." She said.

" Aye, I did. My brother did too. You like me now?" He asked.

" I liked you before." Tatum said, closing her eyes again to sigh. " I always thought you were the hotter twin."

" Me?" He asked in surprised as he squeezed her hand.

" You." She confirmed. " Which one of you is the oldest?" Murphy chuckled and shifted his position so he could sit instead of crouch. He bent his knees and brought his free hand to the floor to help support his upper body.

" Well, our Ma has always refused to tell us but I know it's me." Murphy said while he rubbed his fingers against hers.

" How do you know it's you?" Tatum asked. Again Murphy chuckled. He shook his head to himself, feeling embarrassment creep over him.

" Ah...I asked my Da." He said, because there was no way he was going to tell her what his Ma had to them.

" Do you miss America?" She asked when she looked at him again. Murphy nodded, feeling himself grow serious again.

" Aye, I do."

" Tell me about your life." Tatum asked. Again, Murphy repositioned himself but this time so he face her. If they were going to be talking, then he wanted to look at her face. He brought his head to the bed so he could rest his chin against it.

" We worked in a meat packaging plant in Boston. We had bar we always went too, named McGinty. It was owed by a friend of ours, Doc. He always gave us free beer. Down right nice old man, he is." Murphy said.

" And why did you start taking out the mob?" She asked.

" We had a dream from the Lord, telling us too." Murphy said. He reached out and pushed some of her hair out of her eye, lightly gazing her skin when he did so.

" You know, before, if you had told me that, I would have laugh at that." She admitted.

" Tell me about your life now." Murphy said without taking his hand from her hair.

" I was a photographer. I did pictures of families, kids graduating high school but I hated it. I wanted to do nature works but there is no money in that if you aren't well known so...I guess I sold out." Tatum said.

" And where did you live?" He asked.

" Pennsiliva."

" Did you have a boyfriend, Lass? Someone special?" Because for some reason the answer to that question was important to him. He couldn't understand why but he found himself praying quickly that she had been single.

" I had a boyfriend at the start of this all but, he couldn't handle was happening to me and left. He was sure I was going crazy and said he couldn't deal with that so he cut out." Murphy frowned as she opened her eyes again.

" Right bastard he was than." He snapped, making her laugh.

" Right." She confirmed.

" That's not a proper man. A good man stands behind his lass no matter what." Murphy said.

" What about you? Did you have someone you had to leave?" Tatum asked.

" No. Our lifestyle didn't leave much time for lasses." He said.

" I guess not." Tatum sighed and rolled over so she was on her back. She tilted her head and looked to the ceiling. " I would have liked to have been a mother. I wanted at least two kids. My mother was an amazing woman and I wanted to be just like her."

" There's still time." Murphy said, watching her as she closed her eyes.

" Right." She whispered, feel sleep start to take her down. " Tell me more about you and your brother."

" There's not much more to tell." Murphy said.

" Than just talk. I like the sound of your voice. It's soothing." Tatum said.

And he give her what she wanted. He told her stories about growing up with Connor and his ma. He made her laugh and smile as she looked at him every once and a while. He laughed himself when she told him how stupid they were as young boys. He told them about their move to America and how they settled into Boston while she rolled back over to watch him speak. He talked until she had fallen back to sleep then he sat beside her rubbing her fingers and arm, unwilling to leave her.


	12. Chapter 12

_* Please Review! *_

When the growling started again, they were ready. Brian unhooked her from the heart monitor as fast as he could then unhooked the IV tubing from the port in her arm. He wrapped the port with an ace wrap so the demons wouldn't pull it out of her arm as Connor and Murphy sat at the small table they had brought in and set at the end of the bed. They picked up their cards and waited while Duce took his seat in the rocker and priest stayed by the window. Brian pushed the IV pole away from the bed the second her eyes snapped open.

Tatum's body was pushed up so she was sitting up in the bed instead of laying down. Everyone pretended to be reading or playing cards but they were all watching her out of the corner of their eyes or over their books. The demons brought her right arm in front of her, then the left. A slow smile started it's way across her face before the demons looked up at the brothers. They waved her hands at them with a taunting look in her eyes.

" Oh boys, have we forgotten something?" Demon A asked. When they didn't say anything, her head turned so she was looking to Duce and the priest.

" Don't even think about trying to strap us down now." Demon B said. They waited but neither Duce or the Priest knowledge words were spoken, so they turned in the bed to face Brian.

" Because we won't allow it." Demon C said. Connor sighed loudly, drawing her attention to him.

" Do you mind?" He asked without looking up from his cards.

" What?" Demon A snapped. Murphy pulled his smoke out of his mouth and it was his turn to sigh. He shook his head, looking over to her.

" We are trying to play cards now shut it." He said before looking back to his cards.

" Shut it!" Demon B started to yell. " Shut it!" They pushed her so she was standing on the bed, glaring at the twins. Brian started to put his book down when Duce caught his eyes and shook his head slowly.

" You don't tell us to shut it!" Demon C yelled.

" We tell you to shut it!" Demon A yelled.

" Listen, all this yelling is giving me a headache." Connor said, looking over to her. " So for once, can you just keep it down? I'm winning over here."

" Like hell you are winning!" Murphy snapped. " I'm winning!" Connor laughed as he looked over to his brother.

" Oh please! The only time you win at cards is when you play go fish. By yourself!" He said before he erupted into laughter.

" Fuck you!" Murphy snapped.

" Fuck me? Fuck you!" Connor snapped in return.

" Boys, Daddy is reading." Duce said, turning a page in his book.

" Aye, sorry Da." Both boys muttered as they stared at their cards.

" Sorry, Da?" Demon A snapped.

" Sorry, Da!" Demon B yelled.

" Sorry Da!" Demon C screamed.

" Do you mind? I am reading." Duce said, glancing over his book at her then back at down again.

A deep, dark frown passed over her face as the demons made her look around the room, taking everyone in. She started to growl again and it was low and deep as she came down to be on her hands and knees. She quickly crawled across the bed and down to the floor in an animal like movement that made the twins skin crawled and their stomachs flip. She was tilting her head side to side like a bird as she stared at them. She crawled over to the table with both boys trying to ignore her as best they could. She reached Connor first and it took everything in him to not shrink away from her and her dead eyes.

She pawed up his leg, grabbing at the pant leg as she pulled herself up his body slowly. All eyes but Connor's were on her. He was forcing himself not to look at her or react. To distract himself, he sighed like he was bored and laid down one of his cards then picked up another one. She grabbed his arm, bring her face against the side of his. The tip of her nose touched his cheek first, and, again, it took everything in Connor to not pull away from her in disgust or close his eyes. Her breath fanned over across his cheek as her hand moved to glide under his chin to his other cheek. She flatten her palm out against his skin and pushed his face into hers more. Her other hand moved to his neck where she started to grip him hard.

" I could snap your neck like a twig." Demon A whispered into his skin.

" And there is nothing they could do to help you." Demon B whispered.

" You would be dead before they moved." Demon C whispered.

Connor sighed again and shuffled through his cards. The frown came over her and she started to pull away from him, making Murphy's eyes drop down to his cards. She looked over to him as she went to her hands and knees again. She crawled over to Murphy and began to climb up his leg, the same way she had climbed Connor's. She brought her face into his neck, tilting her head as she did it.

" You are the one who talks to her the most." Demon B whispered.

Her tongue shot out before she started to drag it up his neck. Murphy made himself keep his breathing even even though his heart was slamming in his chest. Images of her biting into her dad's neck flashed through his mind. His body tensed hard, preparing himself for the pain of the bite he was sure was coming his way. His hands tighten on his cards and he was aware that Connor was getting ready to jump up and grab her if he needed too.

" You are the one who stays with her the longest and holds her hand." Demon A whispered.

Her head tilted as she reached his face. She moved so she was directly in his line of sight and Murphy had no choice but to look at her. A smile flashed across her face. A smile that sent chills straight through him. Her hands came up to cup his face. Her nails bit down into his cheeks as she held him in place. He had to wonder if she was drawing blood.

" You want her." Demon C whispered.

" In your private, alone time, you stroke yourself to images of her mouth sucking your cock deep, don't you?" Demon A asked, moving in closer to him.

" Is that what you want? For her to bring you to an orgasm with her mouth? You want to fill her mouth and body with your cum?" Demon B taunted. Murphy stared at her eyes, refusing to answer or give in to them. They stared at each other with everyone in the room holding their breath. " Is it her ass you'd rather fuck? You could fuck her ass then fuck her mouth. She'd like that because she is a dirty, little whore." She whispered with a grin. Again, Murphy said nothing. Her eyes narrowed down and her mouth tighten as her head tilted again.

" Answer us." Demon C demanded.

But still, he said nothing. The growling started again as she reared back slowly.

" Answer us." Demon A snapped. Nothing. She snarled at him and slapped the cards out his hands. She whipped around, sweeping her arm across the table to clear all the cards off it.

" Answer us!" Demon B yelled. Nothing. She grabbed the table and started to shake it. " So we are good enough for you to slap around but not good enough to answer! Fuck you!"

In the next moment they whirled her around and took off for the door. It was flung open and she was out of the room in a flash. All the men jumped up and quickly followed after her. She hit the stairs and ran down them as fast as she could. She reached the ground floor and was headed towards the front door before they were even out of the room.

" How she is running for fast!" Murphy yelled out.

" Its the demons!" Father McMalloy answered as she ran out of the cabin, hitting the railing of the porch. She grabbed it and vaulted over it without missing a beat, disappearing into the night.

" Where is she going?!" Connor asked. By the time the men had reached the porch, Tatum was nowhere to be seen. " We need flashlights!"

Brian and the priest teamed up with Duce while the twins went off on their own, all ready to search the rest of the night for the possessed young woman. They called out to her. They listened. The fathers and the priest stuck together, searching the trees and bushes. The twins went deeper into the night. Connor went to the barn, thinking she would be there since she had ran there before. Murphy choose to go to the fields.

The night was quietly, surprisingly quiet. Murphy couldn't hear any birds or insects. Off in the distance, somewhere behind him, Murphy could hear his dad and the others calling out for her, but he couldn't hear any signs of her. There was no screaming, no giggling, or taunting words, there was just nothing and that bothered him. Murphy's skin was on edge and he was holding his breath every so often so he could try and pick up on her.

The sounds of the others died off when he rounded a corner and started towards the lake. His heart started to beat harder as he crept down the pathway. Brian had mentioned before that the demons had once made her try and drown herself although he didn't think they would do it now. They wanted her alive until her birthday, right? And that was just around the corner.

For hours the men searched but there was nothing, no sigh of her anywhere. Brian was in a panic. It was cold and raining, and she had ran out dressed in her shorts, a tee shirt and a knee high socks. Through the night, Murphy pushed on. He would not give up until she was found. He was cold. His hair and clothes were wet but he wasn't going to give up. If she was out there cold and wet, then he would be too.

As the sun started to raise and the sky grew lighter, Murphy made another trip out to the field. Was this his fourth or fifth time out there? He couldn't remember for sure. As he made his steps slow and quiet, he tried to remember how many times he had been out there but everything was running together. Every bush and tree looked the same. Every empty stretch of land looked the same. Until...

There she was, laying in the middle of the field on her side. Murphy took off running at the sight. As soon as he reached her, he sank down to his knees and pressed two of his fingers to her neck. Silently he praised the Lord for her strong heartbeat. He leaned down and took a hold of her shoulders, guiding her from her side to her back.

" Lass? Tatum?" He whispered as he leaned down. Her clothes were wet and clinging to her body, making it hard for him to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra. Her lips were almost blue and at his touch, she started to shiver. " Come on." He put his arms under her body and lifted her carefully. He pulled her into his body then turned and started running back towards the cabin.

Over the next week the demons went into overdrive even more. The men ignored them and tried to not raise to take the bait the demons offered. And they offered enough. They teased and taunted the men, bring up things from all their pasts, offering up sexual favors and had even lifted up her shirt. That broke Murphy. He stood up from the table and walked to the bed where she was standing. He reached up while the demons laughed, pulling her shirt down.

At the start of her birthday week though, the demons changed. No longer where they taunting and teasing, they started to become violent. They pulled at her hair, slapped her and ran all around the house, tipping things over and throwing other things. She got a hold of a knife once, launching the boys into action. She swiped it across her arm before they reached her, causing her blood to spill out and over her skin. The pain threw the demons out of her and brought her back into herself.

Two days before her birthday, things took a turn for the worst and everyone was growing scared.


	13. Chapter 13

_* Please Review! Thank you to others that helped me with this chapter and my idea for it! Happy Easter! I hope everyone likes this!*_

_Murphy sat on his knees in the barn with his head bent down, directly in front of Tatum. Her hands were wrapped up tight in his and they were praying together. Around them stood her dad, the priest, Connor, and Duce. Duce was behind her, ready to deliver the death shot at any moment. Her birthday was moments away. Outside it was storming, and cold. Rain was leaking from a hole in the roof, hitting the ground beside them and creating a small puddle. _

_He opened his eyes as the prayer came to an end, glancing up at Tatum to find her eyes were still shut. Her lips were moving slowly as she whispered her Amen while her fingers moved under his. She rubbed her knuckles against his palms as she sighed and let her eyelids flutter open. She forced a small, sad smile. She pulled one hand away from their combined ones, reached out and gently touched his cheek. Murphy closed his eyes and turned into her touch more._

_" I'm so sorry, Lass." He whispered at the men around them seem to disappear. _

_" It's okay." Tatum answered as his face rubbed into her open hand. " This is what I want." Murphy shook his head and breathed in the scent of her skin._

_" This isn't what I want." He said when he looked at her again. He kissed her hand as they locked eyes. " Not at all. I thought we could beat them. I was sure we could."_

_" And we are. By ending my life, you are beating them. You are stopping them from taking my soul. I couldn't be more thankful for this." Tatum tried to reassure him._

_" I thought we could win, save your life and then..." His words trailed off as his head shook slowly._

_" And then what?" Tatum asked. Murphy swallowed hard and shut his eyes again, still rubbing his face into her skin._

_" Dinner, you and me, alone. Beers. I don't know. A first, second date." He sighed and looked at her again. " I guess it doesn't matter now." He whispered._

_" I would have liked that." She admitted with a small laugh. Murphy lifted his head from her hand to look at her better._

_" Would you? If we had met outside of this and I had asked you on a date, a proper date, would you have gone?" He asked, making her smile again. _

_She brought both hands to his neck, tilted her head and pressed her lips against his in her answer. When she started to pull back, Murphy grabbed her face and yanked her back into him. One of his arms went around her waist fast as his tongue invaded her mouth. He pressed her into his body while his other hand traveled through her hair, feeling the uneven, soft layers against him. His fist closed in her hair while he tilted her head more, granting himself better access to her mouth. Their tongues twisted and twirled in a slow dance that set his heart into overdrive. She moaned into his mouth and all Murphy wanted to do was push her to the ground and strip her naked. His mind, and body, were kicking into overdrive as her taste dominated his senses._

_" Murphy." She whispered after gently ending the kiss. He pressed his forehead into hers, loving that she was breathing just as hot and heavy as he was. With his eyes still closed, he licked across his bottom lip before answering her with,_

_" Aye, Lass?" _

_" I think..." But she never got the rest of her sentience out. A shot rang out loud, with the sound echoing off the barn's old walls and her body rocking forward. Her blood spattered across his face as he grabbed her tight to keep her from sliding to the ground. Her head crushed forward, hitting his shoulder and rocking to the side._

_" No!" Murphy yelled, staring up at the steaming barrel of Duce's gun. " No!" Murphy pulled her against him, turning her in his arms as he cradled her. " There was still time!" He looked down at her silent face and shook his head. _

_" It's over now." Duce said quietly._

_" There was still time." Murphy heard himself almost whine. He took a hold of her cheek, stroking his thumb across it as her blood flowed through her hair and over his fingers. " Tatum." He whispered. _

_His arms circled her upper body so he could hug her to him. His ass hit the floor of the barn hard while he rocked her to him, whispering her name over and over again. Brian's knees hit the floor a second before he rocked forward, covering his face with his hands. His sobs rang out, echoing what Murphy's heart wanted to do. Brian put one hand on the ground to steady himself and kept his other hand over his face. _

_Later, Brian was laying in bed, refusing to talk or watch as Murphy and Connor spread a sheet down on the barn floor. Father McMalloy was standing with Duce, reading a few passages from the bible. Duce was praying to himself. Carefully, with care and love, Murphy and Connor each took a corner of the sheet and let it float down to the floor. They smoothed it out until it was flat then Connor pulled back._

_Murphy walked over to her body. He stared down at her face as he came to his knees again. One arm went under her knees and another went across her shoulders. He pulled her towards him and lifted her up, raising up until he was standing. He turned and made his way over to the sheet, his eyes never leaving her fresh, clean face. He had refused to bury her with blood on her skin or in her hair. He had washed her clean himself, had even chosen to bury her in one on his shirts and dressed her._

_When he reached the sheet, he sank down. He bent his head and closed his eyes again. He hated how cold she felt. He hated the chill that had set into her skin, not long after he had washed her. With his eyes shut tight, he placed a kiss against her forehead before he laid her down on top of the sheet. He slipped his arms away from her and brought his hands to his neck. He took a hold of the chain of his rosary and pulled it off from around his neck. _

_With Murphy's rosary around her neck, the brothers worked together to close the sheet around her small body. A thick rope was tied around her body at her ankles with another at her waist and then her shoulders. Murphy brought her into his body again and stood up with his brother. The four men headed out of the barn over to the sight they had chosen for her grave._

_Father McMalloy continued to read from the bible. He lead the men, with Murphy behind him and Connor and Duce behind Murphy. She was to be buried under a tree on the hill overlooking the fields and while Murphy had cleaned her, his brother and father had dug the grave and then lined it with another sheet. Over the next few weeks, the boys would work together and make her a grave marker._

_Murphy climbed down into the grave then reached his arms up. Connor handed her down then stood back and watched his brother while he laid her to rest. The three men watched as Murphy situated her on the other sheet. He laid her down legs first and when it was time to let her head come to rest, he looked down at the pillow he had placed in the grave. It was his. _

_After he had her where he thought she would be comfortable, Connor helped him out of the grave. Together, the twins covered her with the dirt. Slowly they tossed shovel after shovel of dirt in until she was covered. They smoothed the dirt over the grave then Connor took a step back and leaned against his shovel. Murphy's knees hit the ground again. His head went down and his eyes shut. _

_Brian was dead by morning, having overdose on her sleeping pills. The MacManus' men buried him on the hill, next to his daughter._

Murphy jumped awake, hating that he had fallen asleep on his watch. He frowned as the dream flowed over him. With a shake of his head, Murphy stood up, stretching his neck up and to the side. He raised his arms up over his head to stretch them out as he walked over to the bed. Even though she was hooked up to the machine and Murphy knew they wouldn't take her before her birthday, he leaned down, close to her head. He pressed his fingers to her throat to feel her heart beat and his cheek to her mouth to feel her breath. When he was satisfied that she was still alive, he turned and walked back to the rocker. He sat down and started to rub his face.

BDSBDSBDS

_Murphy was outside again, but instead of the rain and cold to greet him, it was warm, hot almost, outside. And instead of being in his front yard or the sheep field, he was in the wildflower field that the angel had taken him to on her visit. But, instead of being alone, his brother was with him. Connor was walking beside him, staring straight ahead. Murphy looked down his brother and than himself. They were dressed alike, both wearing jeans and white, short sleeve tee shirts. Murphy looked straight ahead, not at all surprised to see the Tatum angel ahead of him. His steps increased without him even paying attention._

_" Tat...angel." Murphy caught himself before he could finish her real name. It wasn't Tatum in front of him. It was the angel. And she looked worried._

_" Murphy, " She said as he reached her. He took her hands quickly and leaned down. " You must hurry." She said as he brushed his lips against her right cheek first then her left._

_" Is that you, Love?" Connor asked, finally reaching them. Murphy stepped back as the angel smiled at Connor._

_" No, I'm not actually Tatum. I'm an angel. My name is Arella. I am a messenger." She said._

_" And why do you look like Tatum?" Connor asked. Just like before, the feel of complete and total love and acceptance followed over both boys and they were grinning at her._

_" Because he wants me too but we don't have time for that. You don't like how I look, change it." She said, turning her eyes to Murphy right away. " We are running out of time to save Tatum."_

_" I know." Murphy said. " You told me to believe and I do but it's not helping. Tell me what else to do."_

_" Wow," Connor started. " You see that, Murph. She changed. Now she looks like Miss November in the Playboy calendar for last year." He said before he laughed. To Murphy though, she still looked like Tatum._

_" Tell me how to help her." Murphy pleaded._

_" I can't." The angel said._

_" And now she looks like Nicole Kidman! I love Nicole Kidman!" Connor explained. _

_" Shut it! Pay attention!" Murphy snapped. " Angel, please. Tell us what to do."_

_" I can't." She said._

_" Can't or won't?" Connor asked._

_" I can't because I don't know. Every possession is different so I don't know what would drive them from her and even if I did know, I couldn't tell you. There are rules. I wouldn't be physically unable to form the words to tell you." She said, sadly. _

_" We have tried everything we know." Murphy said. " We have begged and ordered. We have prayed and read bible verses. We have ignored them, taunted them, nothing works. They are getting madder and more violent."_

_" Aye. Just yesterday, they broke a glass and made her cut down her arm. A few hours before, they tried to stab her." Connor said with a frown. _

_" All I can do is ask that you don't give up, don't lose faith." The angel said. _

_" Please, give us something." Murphy pleaded. The angel sighed but smiled at the boys._

_" Come here." She said, holding out her arms to them. The brothers moved closer to the angel, kneeling down in front of her when she motioned for it. She placed her hands on each of the boys' faces, cupping their cheeks. Her smile was bright and put them at ease, right away. " I can give you a glimpse of what your life could be like, if you are able to save her. I can show you what might await you, if you want."_

_" The dream I had before..." Murphy started to ask._

_" Was from me as well. I wanted to show you what will happen if you fail at this." She confirmed._

_" The killing and burial dream?" Connor asked._

_" Yes." She said, looking at him. " I sent that dream to you two and your father. And now, I will give you this one..."_


	14. Chapter 14

* Please Review! Sorry this took so long to put up, my kids are on spring break and my husband isn't working so we took them out to do a few family things. This chapter is also apart of the dream the angel is giving the boys!*

_" I can't thank you enough for what you have done." Brian said, shaking first Duce's hand then Connor's. "If it wasn't for you, I'm sure Tatum would have died." _

_Tatum and Murphy walked to the end of the porch, with one of his hands holding onto her elbow. He pulled her closer to him while the others talked and laughed together. Everyone was feeling light, free and was smiling. Connor clapped Brian on the shoulder and laughed loudly at something he had said to the father while Murphy lead her down to the end of the porch. _

_" How do you feel?" Murphy asked when they reached the stairs. _

_" Good. Really good." Tatum said, laughing. They turned and faced each other, with his hand slipping from her._

_" Good. You have color coming back into your cheeks." He said with his own smile. _

_" I can't believe how different I feel, to be honest. I mean, even when they left me before, I could still feel them around, does that make sense? And now, there is nothing. It's just me." Tatum said._

_" I'm glad to hear that." Murphy said. _

_They stood, facing each other and smiling for a few seconds before she grabbed him. Her arms went around his waist as her head came to rest against his chest. She squeezed him as tightly as she could, feeling the warmth of his body through their clothes. Murphy smiled to himself, letting his arms move around her shoulders. He dipped his head down and kissed the top of her head._

_" This is because of you and your family. " Tatum said when she titled her head up to smile up at Murphy. " This whole thing, my life now..." She shook her head and shrugged. " Thank you." She went up on her tips and kissed his chin, since it was all she could reach without him bending down more. Her hands traveled up his body to reach behind his shoulders. She squeezed him with another smile before she started to rub his back._

_" Not all us. You had to have the faith too." Murphy said. Tatum laughed and started to pull away from him._

_" Yeah but you guys helped restore my faith." She said._

_" What will you do now?" Connor asked, catching Tatum's attention. She hugged her arms to herself and looked over to him while Murphy put his hands in his pockets and watched her ._

_" Well, I sold my practice in America and my house so I think we are going to stay here. I have a few contacts here and one of them has a house for Tatum and I." Brian said as he walked over to his daughter. They smiled at each other as his arm slipped around her shoulders. " We are going to enjoy our time together for a while, I think."_

_BDSBDSBDS_

_For the few two weeks Brian and Tatum came to the MacManus cabin for dinner every night. Sometimes they brought things to cook, sometimes Duce cooked. Connor always put on a show, making her laugh, while Murphy spoke quietly to her, making fun of Connor. Sometimes Murphy and Tatum would sit together, their heads bend down, shooting Connor looks as Murphy whispered to her and Connor defended himself. _

_The evenings were Murphy's favorite time of the day. When he and Connor would come back from the fields and he would see the car her and Brian had bought, his stomach would jump. Excitement would course through him and he couldn't get his horse into it's stall fast enough. And as exciting as that was, nothing made him feel more amazing then when he would catch the looks she would give him when she thought he wouldn't notice. And those looks were what stirred him to ask her to take a stroll with him outside after dinner one night._

_" You settling in well, Lass?" Murphy asked as they walked together with their arms linked. She was wearing one of his sweaters but the evening was chilly so she was pressed against him for the extra warmth. _

_" Yeah, I am. I want to start taking photographs again but my dad wants me to still relax. He thinks I'm going to push myself to hard but I'm getting restless." Tatum admitted._

_" It's not a bad idea though. You have been through a lot and are still recovering." Murphy said, glancing down at her. She nodded as she chewed against her lower lip and sighed. He brought his hand up to her wrist and gently started to caress her still bruised skin. " Bruises starting to heal. " Tatum looked down to where their skin was touching._

_" Yeah, they are. Pretty soon I won't look like someone kicked my ass." Tatum joked, making Murphy chuckle._

_" So," He started a few seconds later, " I...ah..." Heat rushed Murphy's face in surprise. He had never been embarrassed when it came to asking a girl out before but this girl was special. " It's been a long time since I have...ah..." Murphy stopped walking and turned to face her, making Tatum turn in the process._

_" What?" She asked. Murphy sighed hard and found himself smiling._

_" I would like to take you out for a drink, and dinner. A date is what I mean." He said. He was rewarded by the red color that started to tint her cheeks. His smile spread into a grin and that grin widen when she brought a hand to her hair and tucked it behind her ear while her eyes shifted to the ground._

_" Oh...ah...I'd...um...I'd really like that." She said, looking up to meet his eyes again._

_" Aye?" He asked. She nodded and bit down into her bottom lip again._

_" Yeah." She said._

_BDSBDSBDS_

_Murphy had been nervous and excited on the way to the house her and her dad were renting. He was nervous as they arrived at the little restaurant he had picked out for them. He was nervous when they ordered drinks but then she started asking him what some of the food was made out of and all his nerves melted away. He moved in the booth so he was sitting beside her. He pointed to different items on the menu and explained them to her, laughing at the faces she had made. _

_They talked, ate, and drank. They held hands as they walked back to his car and on the way back to her house. She grabbed his shoulders at her doorway and kissed him, taking him by surprise. Before he knew it though, he was kissing her back. His hands were at her waist and he was pulling her into him while turning them so he could push her into the door._

_And after they had been dating for almost three weeks, Murphy and Tatum were sneaking into his cabin late after a date. He was leading the way, gripping her hand tight as they both stared up at Duce's closed bedroom door. She was holding on tight to his arm, feeling like a teenager again. They reached the stairs and picked up their steps to reach his room quickly. It was just pass the stairs, on the ground level of the cabin. As he opened his door..._

_" Murphy." Duce's voice froze the couple. Even though they were under the landing and Duce couldn't see them, Murphy looked back at her and put a finger to his lips to tell her to be quiet._

_" Aye, Da?" He called out. Tatum rubbed her lips together and held her breath._

_" Found out how she likes her coffee and you bring it to her in bed tomorrow." Tatum's eyes shut as her mouth dropped. Murphy grinned and squeezed her hand._

_" Aye, Da." He said._

_" Goodnight, Tatum, Love." Duce called._

_" Good..." Tatum opened her eyes and cleared her throat. " Goodnight." A second later, the sound of a door closing greeted them. They both laughed before Murphy turned back around._

_Once in his room, Murphy shut the door then stashed her bag in the corner before turning around and pulling her to him. They both smiled at each other as her arms came up to circle his neck. He took a hold of her hips then dipped his head down. They had had three weeks of stolen kisses outside pubs and on her porch. There had been one episode of a serious make out session in his family car where she had put her hand in his pants and his had been up her shirt. They had rubbed each other with their tongues tangled up and their breaths heaving. Murphy had tried to grab her by her wrist when he felt himself getting close to the edge but she had refused to stop and Murphy had cum all over her hand, wetting the fabric of his boxers. Now, he was going to show her how a real Irishman took care of his lass._

_With his hands on either side of her neck and her hands grasped at his sides, Murphy and Tatum made out again while making their way to his bed. They pulled at each others clothes, tossing one shirt here and another shirt there. Shoes were kicked off while both laughing. She tugged at his belt, he yanked her pants open. _

_Once he had her in his bed, Murphy kissed her as deeply as he could and his thumb stroked across her cheek. His other hand took a careful hold of her leg and pulled it open to give himself move room against her body. He was letting his arousal rub against her in a slow thrust that was driving them both crazy. The lust and need flowed between them strong and they were both panting. _

_Murphy tilted his head to the side, granting him more access to her mouth. Their tongues twisted in the slow dance. He groaned and she moaned. His fingers squeezed her thigh then moved between them. Tatum whispered against his lips, begging him to hurry. He loved it that she was like that, impatient and needy to have him. She wasn't being shy with her sexual wants and needs and that turned Murphy on more. _

_And he was going to give her just what she wanted. One of her hands went into his hair. Her fingers spread out through the strands as her other hand took a hold of him in the way he liked. Tatum guided him towards her until the head of him touched her warmth. Murphy had no problem taking over from there, pushing in and breathing out through the immediate slap of pleasure._

_Both her hands went into his hair then. She arched up and pulled on his hair, something she did during their making out and something he decided he loved. Murphy's fingers slipped to her hip and thigh as he started to thrust, long, deep and slow. With a grip that she loved, he let his hand trail down her until he reached the back of her knee. There he pulled her leg up so her knee was bent and he had even more more to move. Her other leg hooked around his. She let her heel dig into him as she moved it up his leg to his ass. _

_Murphy let his lips rest against hers as he groaned in short bursts. Tatum's stomach contracted then tighten as she whimpered. Harder. Faster. More. His thrusts took on a life of their own when she started to move with him. They were growing shorter and more out of control. Murphy took a hold of the back of her neck, angling her neck up so it was completely free. He dipped down and latched onto her pulse. It was fast pace, beating hard against his tongue. Tatum pulled more on his hair, drive him on harder and harder._

_And there it was, building inside him faster than he wanted it too. His balls twitched and he was to bust. She was getting louder, crying out for him. She was close, so close that Tatum was begging him not to stop with her voice a breathy, whispered whimper in his ear. Her lips brushed against his skin and Murphy was never so thankful for a girl to cum under him before. He wouldn't lose it before her, he refused, not after she had jerked him off in his car and he had given her nothing. _

_Tatum's body tensed up and froze, with only her thighs and her inner walls trembling around him. Silently Murphy thanked the Lord for her orgasm then pushed into her as hard as he could, letting out his own body go ridge over hers. He pressed his forehead into hers and squeezed his eyes shut to completely enjoy his orgasm. It was the first one he had had with a woman in longer than he cared to admit. It rushed out his balls and straight into the deepest part of her. Murphy gripped her leg hard then threw his arm up and under the pillows to grab at his mattress. _

_Together they started to calm down after the feeling left him. He relaxed and groaned out, coming down on top of her with his head coming to rest against her collarbone. He was panting but so was she. Tatum was struggling to catch her breath, just like him, and Murphy loved the sound. Her legs were loosening their hold of him and she was going completely slack under his body._

_Murphy shifted his hips to pull out of her then moved to her side. She rolled over so they were facing each other. Murphy opened his eyes as they started to tangle themselves together. His arms circled her with one going around her shoulders and the other around her waist. With his hand resting against her ass, he guided her into him more. Tatum's hands came to rest against him, one at his neck and one at his chest. She had her eyes closed but the smallest of smiles was gracing her face. A smile he had put there. Murphy grinned and quickly kissed her._

_" At least I don't have to sneak you out of here in the morning." He whispered._


	15. Chapter 15

* Please Review!*

_Four months later:_

_Murphy pulled Tatum by her hand, making her laugh as they ran through the rain. He yelled, telling her to hurry. They had been in the middle of their evening walk when the storm hit, and since they were out by the fields and not close to the cabin, Murphy pulled her up the hill and under the tree, over looking the fields. He laughed as he pulled her into him. He opened his coat, pulled her inside it, then closed it around her shivering body. Her arms went around his waist while she looked up at him and laughed._

_" I'm freezing!" She explained._

_" Aye, you are. You're lips are almost blue. MIght have to kiss some color back into them and we need to put more weight on you, my lass." Murphy said, smiling down at her while he rocked them back and forth._

_" You are trying to fattening me up! I almost back to my normal weight." Tatum said. Murphy gently kissed the tip of her nose before squeezing her tightly._

_" We'll wait here for a few minutes. When it stops raining, we'll make a run for it." He promised. _

_" I don't mind. It's nice being here with you." She said, snuggling into him more. " You're warm."_

_She closed her eyes and let her head come to rest against his chest. Murphy brought his chin to the top of her head and started to rub it into her hair. Tatum listened to his strong heartbeat, breathed in his scent and cherished his warmth. Murphy kissed her head and sighed. This was what he had always wanted for himself. This was what he had hoped his future could hold but had given up hope for._

_" I love you, Murphy." His eyes flew open at her sudden confession. He pulled away enough to make her look up at him as he stared in shock. " You don't have to say it back but I love you and not just because of what you have done for me but because I feel completely connected to you and I..." She was rushing forward and her words were almost meshing together so Murphy placed his fingers against her lips and smiled._

_" I love you, too." He said, moving his hand to her chin. He took a hold of it and leaned down. " I love you." He whispered before he kissed her._

_Four months later:_

_Murphy shifted from side to side as he stared down at their combined hands. Again, they were standing on top of the hill, under the tree, overlooking the fields. Tatum was waiting patiently, wearing one of his sweaters. It wasn't raining, for once, and Tatum had come to bring both the boys lunch while they worked with the sheep. Connor was sitting across the field, giving them privacy._

_" What's wrong with you? You're so nervous today." She said, smiling at him._

_" Aye." Murphy said, rubbing his fingers against her hands. " I spoke with your Da last night."_

_" About what?" Tatum asked. _

_She knew he had. The two men had spent almost an hour outside while she and Duce had cooked dinner. Brian refused to tell her what they talked about and it had been bugging her all night and the day. Brian had been smiling, grinning really, and now Murphy was acting strange. He was nervous and moving around, more than usually._

_" I asked him..." Murphy cleared his throat and raised his eyes up to meet hers. He let go of her right hand and dropped down to his knee, making her breath catch. " for your hand in marriage."_

_" And what did he say?" She whispered. He looked down at her left hand and started to stroke her ring finger._

_" He said, aye, so now, I'm asking you." His eyes shifted up to her face as a few tears started to make their way down her cheeks. " Will you marry me?" _

_" Yes!" She explained. " Yes!" She yanked her hand away from him to grab him by the shoulders. Murphy laughed as they tumbled backwards. His back hit the ground as her front hit his. She almost squealed out her answer over and over again before she started to rain kisses all over his face._

_One year together._

_Murphy stood under the tree, on the hill, overlooking the fields, with a small smile on his face. For the first time in his life, he was dressed in tux. Black pants with a thick black line down each side of his leg. He had a white, button down shirt with a black bow tie. Standing behind him and to his right, was his brother, dressed the same, sporting a huge grin. On of his left, was Father McMalloy and in front of him, was his bride._

_Tatum was dressed in a white, sleeveless, ball gown wedding dress. It was fitted at her chest with a line of crystals around her waist then dotting the gown. Her hair, which had grown pass her shoulders, was wavy and hanging loose, just the way he loved it. She had no veil on and carried one single daisy as she made her way up to him. They were married in front of the fathers, Connor and the priest, on an uncommonly warm day in the fall. They stood together, on the site that they had picked to be her grave. They overlooked the fields as they exchanged vows and smiled together._

_Two years later:_

_" Come on, Lass, just like the first time. You're doing great." Murphy praised his wife as she pushed through another contraction. _

_He pressed a hand to her forehead before swiping her sweat coated hair from her face. He was sitting behind her, propping her up with his upper body. His legs were on either side of hers and his other arm was wrapped around her chest. Their first baby had been born right in there, in their bed, delivered by Tatum's father and their second was coming the same way._

_" Why...why did this happen again!" She whined as she reached an arm up and behind her. She grabbed at his shirt and closed her eyes to rest._

_" You can't keep your hands off your husband." Murphy whispered before he kissed her temple._

_" I'm getting another one." She whimpered, opening her eyes again._

_" Come on than, my babe." Brian said. " You can do this. You're mother would be so proud."_

_" No, I can't." She whispered with her face wet with tears. _

_" Yes, you can. You brought wee Ashlinn into this world and you can bring wee Murph too." Murphy whispered into her ear._

_An hour later, the sounds of newborn screams filled the bedroom. Tatum cried while Murphy grinned. Brian placed the baby on top of Tatum's chest. Murphy reached around his wife and grabbed at the blanket they had placed on her when she started to push. The three of them worked together to clean little Murphy off before Brian clipped the cord and Murphy cut it. _

_After the baby was cleaned and daipered, and his mother was cleaned and the bed put back together, the bedroom door was opened and the family filed in. One year old Ashlinn was nestled into her Uncle's arms with one of her hands holding onto his neck and the other the back of his shirt. She grinned at the sight of her daddy and started to kick her legs. Duce proudly lifted his grandson up from his daughter-in-law. The twins mother started to fuss over Tatum, bring her tea and the stew she had been cooking._

_" Come to Da, Wee One." Murphy said, holding his hands out to his daughter. She laughed and pushed away from Connor to reach out for her dad. " Let's see your brother." His hands slipped under her arms and he lifted her, bring her into his chest before turning and walking to his dad._

_" You done well, Son. You have a fine family." Duce said as he stroked the baby's cheek. Murphy, still grinning, looked back at his tired wife and nodded._

_" Aye. I have my own beautiful family." He said, catching her eyes as she brought her spoon to her mouth. She sighed and smiled._

BDSBDSBDS

Murphy woke up his spot in the rocker and shook his head. He placed his palms into his eyes and started to rub them hard to clear away the sleep. He pushed himself up with a yawn then made his way back to the bed. He pressed his fingers to her pulse and watched the heart monitor. Once he was satisfied with her heartbeat, he leaned down so he could feel her breath against his skin at the same time the door to the room opened. He looked up as Connor slipped in, his hair sticking up from his sleep.

" Did you have it?" He whispered, closing the door behind him.

" Aye. Did you see it all?" Murphy asked, looking back to the bed. He stood up straight and started to adjust the blankets so she was covered and warm.

" There was a black out part. You were leading her to your bedroom when Da caught you then it went black for a bit. It picked up up with you two being girls and whispering you love each other." Connor said as he walked around the room.

" Did you see her death?" Murphy asked, unwillingly to look away from her as he adjusted and readjusted the blankets.

" Aye. So it seems as though we have two paths we can take." Connor said.

" There is one path. She lives." Murphy snapped.

" And you're ready to take that on than? Are you ready for the fight they will give us? Are you ready for the relationship, the marriage, children?" His brother's voice was soft as he asked the questions, making Murphy sigh. He stood up and nodded, looking at Connor.

" Aye. I'm ready and I want it." The determination in his voice made Connor nod and smile.

" I'm going to love being an uncle." He said.


	16. Chapter 16

_* Please Review! This chapter was hard to write and I eased then wrote it again. This has really creeped me out but here it is*_

The back of Tatum's head hit the head board but only laughter escaped her lips. Murphy's arm went across her throat as he pressed himself into her and frowned. His other hand grabbed at her right arm and pinned it over her head as Connor grabbed her left one, his teeth gritting together. Brian pressed a gauze patch to her IV site, where the demons had pulled out her port. Blood was poring out of the wound, sliding down the arm and dripping onto the bed.

" One more day and she belongs to us!" Demon A snapped in Murphy's face. He shoved his thigh into her body, trying to force her body to be still.

" Just give up!" Demon B snapped back.

" If you stop fighting, we will give her body to you until her death. You can all fuck her." Demon C purred out.

" Fuck you!" Was Murphy's answer.

" You can't save her!" Demon A snapped.

" We aren't giving up!" Connor yelled as Murphy pushed her harder into the bed frame. They were standing on the bed with Duce standing at the end of the bed and the priest at her right. He was searching for the passage he wanted to read, flipping the pages and scanning with his eyes quickly.

" I'm almost done!" Brian called out as his spot on the bed. He was kneeling down, pressed almost against Connor as he used his hand and teeth to tear into a strip of medical tape. He was going to tape the bandage to her arm until the demons left her. After that, he could work on repairing the wound.

" I found the passage!" Father McMalloy's fingers scrolled down the old, weathered pages of his bible until he found what he had been looking for. Her head whipped to the side as her eyes zoned in on him.

" Don't you even dare!" Demon A snarled out.

" You better think twice about what you're getting ready to do, Priest." Demon B said next.

" Give up! You can't save her! We are to close now! She is slipping away from you and there is nothing you can do!" Demon C screamed out.

" Our Father, Hallowed be his name..." Father McMalloy started. Her body started to struggle against Murphy's body. Her hands opened and closed. She thrust her head forward, in an effort to hit Murphy's but he dodged the blow. Connor grunted and pushed himself into her to help Murphy hold her more.

" Stop praying!" All three demons screamed at once. The bed shifted behind the brothers as Duce climbed on. Murphy pressed his arm into her throat more to try and still her head movements as she snapped her jaws and spit at him. " Do it! Crush her throat!" Duce touched the back of Murphy's back as he came up on his left side.

" Keep a hold of her, Son, but let her breath." He said before letting go of his son. He pulled a small vile of holy water from his pocket and uncapped it. Her black eyes went wide as the demons snarled and growled louder.

" Keep that away from us!" Demon A spit out. Her head rolled to the left as her eyes latched onto Brian.

" Please, Daddy! Please tell them to stop!" Demon C cried out.

" Stop. You're not my daughter." Brian said.

" It's going to burn, Daddy!" Demon B whined as her back tried to arch and a look of pain went across her face.

" No. You're a demon, you aren't her." Brian said as he climbed down from the bed.

" Tighten it up!" Connor threw over his shoulder to the father when he heard the crack in Brian's voice.

" You will leave her!" Duce said calmly.

He placed one of his index fingers against the top of the holy water vile and tipped it over while the demons begged and pleaded for Brian to save her, to not let her be hurt. Brian placed his hands over his ears and started to shake his head, yelling over and over again that it wasn't Tatum. When Duce placed his finger to her forehead, directly over the mark the communion had left on her, Brian sank to his knees. She screamed out as he clasped his hands together and started to pray to himself. He leaned forward while tears streaming down his face.

" Ye though we walk through the valley of death..." Father McMalloy was saying.

" Stop!" The demons screamed.

" Let her go!" Duce ordered with more bite in his voice as he dripped more holy water onto his finger.

" Please, Lord, save her..." Brian was crying quietly.

" Fuck you!" Demon A snapped, landing her eyes onto Murphy.

" She will fuck your brother in your married bed." Demon B snapped.

" And suck his cock down her throat!" Demon C yelled.

" Shut it." That time, it was Murphy's turn to growl. Duce touched his finger to her forehead again.

" Daddy!" She screamed out in what sounded like her normal voice. She squeezed her eyes shut and started to shake her head, doing anything to get Duce's touch away from her skin. " Please! It's burns!" Brian's head snapped up at the same time the bed started to shake under the three men and the possessed girl.

" What's happening?" Connor yelled out. She continued to scream and beg while Duce dripped move of the water against her skin. Brian sprung up, launching himself onto the bed.

" Let her go!" He yelled as he almost clawed at Connor's arm and shoulder.

" It's not her! They are tricking you!" The twin yelled.

" I know my own daughter!" Brian countered. The screaming grew loud as more water was sprinkled onto her face. The priest was yelling out the verses from the bible now. The bed was rattling over and over again, almost bouncing off the floor, making the boys hold of her loosen.

" And the last time you thought it was her, she bit down into your neck!" Connor yelled. Murphy was glaring at her, seeing the flash of black in her eyes when she would open them. The demons may be letting her scream but they were still in control of her, that much he could see.

At Connor's words, Brian's hands slipped from him as his breath came out in short burst. He was torn, he was conflinced. He knew what Connor was saying was true. He still had the marks and scabs from her attack but here was his daughter, his babe, crying out for him. As the bed bounced up and down, slamming the posts into the hard wood floor over and over, she was crying and screaming. Smoke was raising off her skin at every drop of holy water. Inside he knew that if it was completely Tatum, she wouldn't be burned by the water. He fell back on his ass and stared up as the MacManus' struggled to maintain their hold of her.

" It's not Tatum." He started to repeat to himself. " It's not Tatum."

" Da!" Connor yelled as he and his brother struggled to hold her still. Duce brought the vial of holy water and started to pour it on top of her head.

Tatum's body seized up and went completely still. The bed slammed down down to the floor and every one went quiet. She tilted her head back, kept her eyes closed and opened her mouth. Some of the holy water gathered in her mouth while the brothers frowned and glanced at each other. No one moved and everyone was staring. Slowly Brian started to stand on the bed. Murphy's arm loosen on her throat. Connor tensed up. Duce and the priest waited.

Tatum's head lowed down. She opened her eyes with her mouth shut. A smile spread across her face before she spit the water out, hitting Murphy square in the face. She started to laugh, then Demon A laughed, demon B, and finally demon C. All three demontic laughs blended into one as steam drifted out of her mouth and off the skin of her face. The laugh started to changed after a few minutes. Gone was the giggling the Demons usually made her too. In it's place was a crackling sound and it seemed like she was repeating one sound over and over again.

" Ahahahahahahahahah."

Over and over again the sound, or laugh, left her throat. Both Murphy and Connor pulled back. She sank down to her knees, still staring up at them with her mouth open, the sound/laugh continuing on and on. Connor reached out and took a hold of Murphy's shoulder. Duce sat down, motioning for his sons to follow the example. Father McMalloy started to read from the bible again. Her mouth shut and her head snapped to the side. She started to repeat the priest, word for word. He looked up from his bible but continued on reading. Soon, Duce joined in, knowing the passage by heart. A second later, his boys were reciting it. Tatum looked back at Murphy. Her hands came up and planted on his knees. She leaned forward and tilted her head in the bird way the demons always made her move. To the right. To the left. She studied him, causing his words to die off.

" You can't have her." Demon A whispered.

" Why not?" Murphy whispered. Again a quiet spread through the room. " You can take someone else. You don't need her."

" And who should we take, Murphy?" Demon B asked, tilting her head to right.

" You? Would you give yourself for her?" Demon C whispered.

" Murph." Connor whispered, squeezing his brother's shoulder hard.

" Would you take her place?" Demon A asked.

" We like you. We would consider a trade. You let us have you and we let her go free." Demon B whispered.

" You gave up your faith, renounce HIM and pledge to our Dark Lord and she will go free." Demon C whispered.

" Don't listen to them, Murphy. Demons are liars." Father McMalloy said. She rolled her head so her face was still tilted down but she was looking at him.

" You shut your mouth. We are talking to Murphy." All three whispered. Her head rolled back so she could look at Murphy again.

" You have until sundown tomorrow to make the choice." Demon A whispered.

She snapped back up, her hands falling from his knees. Her head went back and she shuddered at once. Her body suddenly slumped forward as if all the bones in her body were turned to liquid at once. Murphy and Connor reacted at once, both reaching out to catch her before she tumbled into the bed. They turned her over onto her back, with Connor running his hands through her hair and Murphy wiping the sweat away.

" You can't do this." Brian spoke up. " I love her but I can't ask you to give your life up for hers."

" It's not up to you." Murphy said, staring down at her face. The dreams the Angel had given him were replaying over and over again in his mind. He could only see the funeral, the wedding, the children. All at once. Over and over again. " This is my choice."

" We will figure something out." Connor said quickly. Tatum's eyes fluttered open then shut. Murphy pulled her upper body into his lap.

" They only...they only want me." She whispered.

" Shh." Murphy whispered.

" They won't...they won't let me go. They will take you and me." Tatum whispered.

" Let's lay her down now, Boys. And have a talk." Duce said gently.

" Murphy." Tatum whispered. " Please. Don't do this. Don't make this deal."


	17. Chapter 17

_* Please Review! So I have been reading lots and lots sites on different ways to ride people and areas of demons because I wanted to find something that fit my story but was still realistic. I have really took my time and read and read and read so I hope you guys like it*_

" Are you sure this is going to work, Father?" Connor asked as the men crowded around the kitchen table. Sitting in the center of it was a large vase filled with olive oil.

" Aye." Father McMalloy said while they stared at the oil. " In the bible, olive oil was used for almost every thing, from baptisms to sacrifices to anointment. Now, every one place their hands on the vase and together, we will pray. We will ask the Lord to bless the oil."

At once, the men touched the vase in different spots, bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Connor, Murphy, Brian, and Duce prayed silently while the old priest mumbled his pray out loud. It was the morning of Tatum's birthday and they were all tense. The day was going to bring them all the fight of their lives and they knew it. By the end of the day, Murphy had a choice to make and his dad might have an innocent life to take. It wasn't far from any of their minds.

Once the oil was blessed, all the men knelt down in front of the priest. He took a drop of oil and placed it on his finger. With that oil, he drew a cross on each of their foreheads and blessed them. He asked the Lord for protection and to forgive their sins before he fed them each a communion wafer. He asked for forgiveness for himself then ate his own wafer. Afterwards, Murphy headed upstairs to collect Tatum. Brian was too weak from lack of sleeping and his own lack of eating to carry her, so Murphy was quick to offer. Connor didn't say anything, simply watched his brother as he hurried up the stairs. For Brian's and Tatum's sake, as well as Murphy's, he hoped this work. If they lost her...they would all be lost.

Murphy pushed open the door to his dad's room and sighed at the sight of her. She was laying on her left side, not facing him, buried deep into the blankets. The heart monitor beeped away, counting her heartbeats and alerting them that she was still alive. Murphy walked around the bed, staring at her with a frown. If her heart gave out because she wasn't eating and her body was weak, would it be a blessing? If she just died from natural causes, not from the demons, would it be for the best?

" Shut it, Murph." He scolded himself.

Tatum moaned slightly in her sleep and shifted under the covers. She rolled from her side to her back but didn't open her eyes. She wasn't hooked up to the IV anymore. Her vein was blown from where the demons had ripped the port out. The wound was now clean and dressed but they hadn't wanted to chance any more injuries.

" Tatum." Murphy whispered as he sank down onto the bed. " Can you wake up for me, Lass?" Her eyes fluttered opened then closed. She wasn't a deep sleeper now and he had wondered if she had been before and he hoped he'd get to find out.

" Murphy?" His name was a half whisper, half moan on her lips. Not a moan of pleasure, but one of complete exhaustion.

" Aye, Lass. I'm going to unhook you now, aye?" He whispered. Because it didn't matter now if he saw her breasts. The demons had been flashing them every chance they got, grabbing at her nipples and pinching them in order to try and entice the men.

" Is it time?" Tatum whispered.

" Aye."

Murphy leaned down and gently pulled the blankets down from her upper body. He pulled her shirt up but tried hard to keep her breasts covered. Having seeing them or not, didn't mean he needed to expose her if he could prevent it. He unhooked the first cord, at her ribs, then the next, and the next and the next, then finally came to the center of her chest where he had to lift her shirt. He quickly unhooked the two sensors that sat right in between her breasts then pulled the shirt down. He looked up at her face to see her blinking at him with a small smile. She was pale, so much paler than she had been when she first came to them, a month earlier, and already sweat was beading across her forehead, wetting her hairline.

" Thank you." She whispered.

" For what?" He asked as he let the sensors slipped to the floor.

" This is it. Today, I am saved, either because they leave me or you take my life." Her eyes shut again but she was still smiling. " And I owe you a thanks now because I might not be able to tell you that later."

" You will, Lass. You will." Murphy said. " I'm going to pick you up now."

One of his arms slid along the bed, under her legs and knees. His other one went under her shoulders. He stared at her face, trying to memorize it. He knew what she looked like to the others. He knew her hair was flat and was now cut to her neck, still hanging in uneven layers all over her head. The demons had gotten a hold of scissors while at the cabin and cut even more of her hair off than they had the first time. Her skin was pale expect under her eyes. There, the skin was thin and bruised looking. Her cheeks were sunken in and she looked tired. That was what she looked like to them. To Murphy, he saw the image of her that the angel had shown him, where she was at the weight she should be and her hair was longer and fuller. Her skin, no longer pale or bruised but a beautiful, healthy color. That was how Murphy saw Tatum.

Being mindful of how sore her body was from the beating the demons gave her, Murphy lifted her up from the bed and pulled her against his chest. She crossed her legs at her ankles, tucked her head into his chest and put her arms around his neck. Murphy tilted his head to the side so he could look down at her face better. Her left arm slipped from the back of his shoulders slightly.

" You alright, Lass?" He asked softly as she brought it back up, linking her fingers together at his neck again.

" Yeah." She said.

Murphy turned and started around the bed again. He walked through the room slowly, trying to make sure he didn't joist her around too much. She snuggled more into him and Murphy found a small smile creeping over his face. He liked that she was taking comfort in being close to him. He liked how it felt to have her holding onto him so tightly.

" She alright?" Connor asked as soon as Murphy and Tatum emerged from the room.

" Aye." Murphy said.

The men watched from the bottom of the cabin as Murphy made his way down the stairs. Brian was holding a blanket out. It was cold and raining outside, as usual, so he was going to wrap the blanket around her before they headed out to the barn. The MacManus' animals had been taken to a neighbor's barn, ten miles down the road. The neighbor had been told the brothers were doing work to their farm and just needed to house the horses and sheep for a few days.

" Here, my babe." Brian said when Murphy reached them. Tatum cracked one eye open as her dad came forward, tucking the blanket around her. She smiled, sighed, and closed that eye again.

" You don't want me getting cold?" She asked as Brian pushed the blanket down, in between her body and Murphy's.

" Aye. It's raining." Brian said. " Wouldn't want you getting sick now, would we?" Tatum managed a small laugh while her dad continued to work the blanket around her.

" Wouldn't that be a slap in everyone's face? You all work this hard to save me from them only to have me catch pneumonia and die." Murphy found himself smiling and Connor chuckled at her small joke.

" Aye, Love." Connor spoke up. " That would really piss me off. All this work just down the drain." Tatum laughed again and started to rub her cheek against Murphy's chest. It was nice to have something to laugh at, for once.

Quietly, they all made their way out of the cabin. The second the chilly air reached Tatum, she turned and pulled herself into Murphy more. He, in return, tighten his hold on her, hoping his own body warmth and the blanket would be enough to keep her comfortable until they could get into the barn. She had no idea what their plan was, she only knew they headed out to the barn. It was safest for them all if she didn't know the plan. What she knew, THEY knew.

" Try and sleep, Lass, Aye?" Murphy whispered down to her.

" Yeah, that's not a problem." She muttered into his chest. With her body wearing down, she was sleeping more and more unaided by her dad's injections.

" You still tired?" Murphy whispered.

" Yeah." She whispered with her voice fading out. Murphy sighed and looked up as the barn came into view.

The group walked through the huge, sliding barn doors and over to the designated spot. They would lay her down on a few blankets they had spread out already. She would then be covered with more blankets to keep her warm. Their plan would start the second she was sleeping, which wouldn't take long. She was half way there now.

" Are you okay, my babe?" Brian asked while Murphy carefully laid her down. She made a sound and nodded without opening her eyes. Murphy pulled way from her and watched as the father covered her and made sure she was warm, as warm as she could be.

" Is she sleeping?" Duce asked quietly.

" Aye." The father answered as he passed a hand through her hair. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her temple. " I love you." Brian whispered against her skin before he pulled away.

Ten feet away from her, the priest started to pour the olive oil on the ground, making a circle around her. As he moved, Connor and Murphy came up behind him, covering the oil with dirt so when the demons came around, they wouldn't see the wetness on the ground. Duce and Brian stood back, watching the work. Brian's eyes were flicking from his daughter to the boys then back again.

" I need this to work." He said.

" Aye, it will." Duce said.

" I'm not sure I can live without her." Brian admitted. Duce looked at the man and nodded. He knew already. He had the death dream. If she died, so would her father.

" So we wait?" Connor asked as he rubbed the dirt from his hands to his jeans after the circle was completed.

" And you think this will work?" Murphy asked.

" We will see, Lad." Father McMalloy answered. Together, the men stood just outside the oil circle. And the waiting begin.

A few hours later, just as the afternoon started, the first signs of the demons started. The sky darken outside and the rain changed from a gentle fall to a hard pounding against the barn. It always rained harder when they came. The overhead, hanging lights started to swing slightly. One by one, the lights from the back of the barn started to burst, sending bits of glass to the ground and sparks to fly.

" You feel that?" Connor whispered to Murphy, shocked at the sight of his breath.

" Aye." Murphy whispered as they all watched the bursting lights.

" The temperate just dropped straight down." Connor whispered.

The lights above them and her stopped swinging and began to circle from a wind none of them could feel. The wind outside kicked into overdrive, whistling around the barn and rattling the old wood. The closer and closer the bursting lights were moving towards them. Faster and faster the lights above them swung around. Louder and louder the wind howled. Harder and harder the rain pelted against the barn. Connor grabbed at his brother's arm as they all shrink back, staring up at the lights.

Until it stopped. Everything, at once. The rain, the wind, the bursting lights, the swing lights, everything. It was silent. Connor's hand squeezed Murphy at the same time she started to growl. The blankets flew off her, pulled by unseen hands, as her eyes popped open. Her black, dead eyes, the demons eyes. Her body started to move. She turned so she was on all fours a second before she pushed herself up. Her hands went into fists. Her head titled down and her eyes locked on Murphy. The wind kicked up around her, and her only.

" Have you made your choice?" All the demons asked at once. Connor's hand slipped from Murphy as he stepped forward. Her hair started to fly around her hair as the growling grew louder.

" Aye." Murphy said.

" And?" They asked. Murphy felt his eye lids twitch as his breath hitched.

" Come and get me." He said.


	18. Chapter 18

_* Please Review! Olive oil was apart of most religious ceremonies and at one point was even used as a source of money. So that is why I used olive oil in this story. Also, mirrors have long been thought to have the ability to trap demons and evil spirits so here you go…*_

At his words, the wind that was blowing around her, stopped. She snarled then took off running. Connor reached out to grab at his brother when Duce grabbed his arm and squeezed him hard, stilling his son's movements. This had to happen and they all knew it, besides Murphy wasn't in the circle and should be safe. Connor looked at his dad then back at his brother a second before she hit the olive oil line. As if the demons made her hit a glass wall, as if someone grabbed her from behind, Tatum's head snapped back a second before she was yanked backwards. She flew straight into the air, flew halfway across the circle they had made then hit the ground, rolling as she did.

" Now!" Father McMalloy yelled out.

All the men but Murphy took off in different directions around the circle. Laying at the sides of the circle and at the back of it, was full length mirrors they had bought in town during the day. Duce and Brian ran to their spot, standing directly across from Murphy with Connor off to their right and the priest on their left. At once the men lifted their mirrors, rolling the mirror stands to make sure they were facing the circle and her. The demons made Tatum pushed herself up, glaring at Murphy as she did so.

" How dare you!" They screamed at once. " Olive oil! Blessed olive oil!"

" Aye, and mirrors, you demonic fucks!" Connor spit out. She hunched forward, bared her teeth and started to snarl. Her head whipped to the right as her breathing changed. She was huffing and almost puffing. It was leaving her in a rushed mist as she snapped at Connor.

" Get that mirror away from us!" The voices screamed out.

" Get out of my daughter!" Brian yelled. She spun around and hissed and growled out again.

" What do you think you are doing!" The scream ripped out of her throat at the same time Father McMalloy caught her attention. A forced laugh came out next as she rounded to face him. " I have legions of demons at my command and you think mirrors and oil can stop me from owning you and her!"

" Call them." Murphy said calming. She turned and glared at him.

" These mirrors are nothing to me." The demons snapped.

" We have done our research, Demon." Murphy said. " Olive oil and mirrors can contain demons. You know as well as we do that these mirros can trap you here."

" Keep us trapped here than! Please do! In five hours it will be her official birthday, the time when she actually entered this world and when that time comes, she will belong to us!" The demons yelled.

" Call your demons." Murphy challenged.

A smile spread across Tatum's face as she stood up straight. Her arms came to her sides as her head titled back with her eyes shut. All the men glanced around at each other, nervously. A few seconds later the ground started to rumble and shake. Thunder ripped through the air as lighting flashed, lightening up the almost completely darken sky. She opened her eyes and looked down at him.

" Here they come." The demons said, almost playfully. " When they come in, we will bring her to the surface and let her watch you all be torn to shreds." She started to take some steps, crossing the distance between her and Murphy, her smile still locked in place...until a series of howls and screams went through the air. Her smile faded as Murphy's started.

" Is there a problem?" He asked, sweetly.

" What is around the barn!" The demons asked with their voice started to raise again.

" Salt." Murphy said as she reached the line of olive oil. " They can't come in and you can't get out. " He reached behind him and pulled out his gun, cocking it calmly. " You will leave her and each of you will become trapped in one of this mirrors. Then the mirrors will be buried and you will never escape them. You won't be able to return to hell. You will stay in the mirror, buried on hollowed ground and you will be trapped as you have trapped so many." She snarled out again, curling up her upper lip and showing her teeth to him.

" We will never leave her!" They snapped.

Murphy raised his gun up, pulling her eyes up with the movement. Three shots rang out, sending bullets streaming through the air from his, Connor's and Duce's gun. They sliced into a bag the demons hadn't noticed before hand. It was hanging down from one of the lights, directly over her. Oil poured out and all over her. Her shoulders went up, her head tucked down and her hands covered her face as screams poured out of her and steam started to raise from her skin. Another round of shots went out. A second bag was pierced and salt rained down, blessed salt. The second it started to coat her skin, Father McMalloy, Duce and Brian, and Connor pushed their mirrors into the circle.

" Grab her!" Father McMalloy shouted as more steam almost poured out of her pores and she screamed, still covering her face.

Murphy reached into the circle, wrapped his hand around her oil and salt covered her upper arm and ripped her out of the circle. The screams intensified as she hit his body and collapsed. Murphy tossed his gun to the side so he could wrap both arms around her slender body. They sank down as he stared at the circle. No longer where the screams coming out of Tatum. She was clutching Murphy and crying into his neck. She wasn't screaming. No. The screams were coming from three misty figures in the circle. The howling that had surrounded the barn outside stopped at once. The misty figures pulled away from each other and were sucked straight into the mirrors. Then there was nothing. No screaming, no howling, no wind, thunder or rain.

" Tatum!" Brian yelled as he raced around the circle. Murphy looked down at her as he cradled her to him. One hand went into her oil coated, salt covered hair. His other hand flattened on her back.

" You're alright." He whispered to her.

" They are gone!" She cried.

" Aye." Murphy whispered, looking back to the mirrors. Gone was the reflected glass. In their place was the misty figures. They were all pounding on the glass from the inside. No features could be made out but he could see fists pounding and see mouths open. Mouths lined with rows and rows of sharp teeth.

" Give her to me! Please!" Brian begged, coming to knees in front of Murphy. Tatum pushed away from him and reached for her dad.

" Daddy!" She cried. He pulled her into his lap and started wiping the salt from her eyes with a wet rag he had brought from the house.

" My babe!" He started to repeat as he cried. Murphy rose up with his eyes locked on the mirrors.

" Is that them, Father?" Connor asked.

" Aye." Father McMalloy said with a nod as he and other MacManus' men started around the circle, coming to rest behind the weeping father and daughter. " It's over. She is saved now."

Tatum pulled away, making Brian frame her face with his hands. They smiled through their tears and both started to laugh. But the laughter died down as a flash of brilliant light hit them. Love, warmth and comfort started to flow out of the circle. The group turned and looked to see a young woman standing just inside the circle. She was smiling and dressed in a long, white rode. Her hair was the color the gold and large white wings were resting tight against her back. Instead of looking like Tatum to Murphy and someone else to everyone else, she looked the same. Her eyes were a bright green and her skin was glowing.

" You did it." Her voice made them all smile. Brian pulled Tatum up with him but she pushed away from him, staring at the angel.

" Your voice." She said. " I know your voice."

" Yes, you do. I was the one whispering to you when they were taking you over. I was the one trying to calm you and shield from some of their horrors." The angel said holding out her hands. Tatum smiled and reached out to take her hands. The angel pulled Tatum towards her, turning them so the men would have their profiles.

" Is it really over?" Tatum whispered.

" Yes. And you will never again be tormented. Any children born from from either of bloodlines will be safe as well. None of your descendants will ever be touched by evil. Every one in this room is marked, protected. Because you found your way through this battle and were able to come back to His love, he will protect you completely." The angel looked up at the men and smiled again. " All of you. Any child born to these families will be protected, for all of time. That is your reward for keeping your faith, and finding it again." She said, looking at Murphy with the last part. She smiled then looked back to Tatum. " I have one last parting gift to give you."

Her hands pulled away from Tatum's. She placed them on either side of Tatum's face and leaned forward. On impulse Tatum's eyes shut. The angel placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, right where the wafer had burned her, right against the scar it had left. Tatum's breath caught in her throat at the tingling feeling that came with the touch of the Angel's soft lips.

" He never gave up on you. He loved you, even when you weren't sure if you loved Him." The angel whispered against her skin before she pulled away. " The burn is gone. You will carry this experince with you for the rest of your life, you don't need a visual reminder. Now go back to your earthly father." Tatum touched her forehead, shocked to find it smooth as she turned and looked back at Brian.

" Come, Babe." He said with a smile. She grinned and hurried to her dad's side as the angel focused on Murphy.

" Everything I showed you was a possibility but it's not a guarantee. Because of your free will, you can change any of it." She said.

" And if I don't want to change it?" Murphy asked.

" Then be a good man, Murphy MacManus. Love with everything in you. Protect your family. Be patient and kind. Remember these struggles. Remember the other outcome that was shown you and cherish what you have now." The angel said.

" Aye, I will." Murphy promised. The angel came forward with the hem of her robe brushing against the ground as she walked. A small tinkling of bells sounded as she walked. She reached up and took a hold of his shoulders.

" There is more to your future than I showed you. There will be good times, there will be fights. There will be times of health and times of sickness. The flow of the future depends on how you handle the bad and the good." She said, staring into his eyes.

" And the children?" Murphy whispered, making her smile.

" There may be more children then I showed you. I was only to give you a highlight." Then she winked and pulled away to look at Connor.

" And you...he hasn't forgotten you. There is one for you, so hold on." She promised before she stepped back. " Enjoy your life." She said before she disappeared.

" What do we do with them?" Tatum asked, looking to the mirrors.

" Brian, take your babe into the cabin. Let her shower and rest. My boys and I have work to do." Duce said quietly.

" Are you sure?" Brian asked with his arms around Tatum's shoulders.

" Aye." Duce said.

" No." Tatum spoke up quietly. " Whatever you are going to do, I want to help. I mean, I'd like to take a shower first but I want to help after that." Duce nodded as he looked at her.

" Than go, shower. We will wait for you." He promised.

BDSBDSBDS

As Tatum washed away the salt and oil, she was could not believe how light and easy she felt. They were gone, for real. They weren't hiding somewhere deep inside her, waiting to take her down. She had no fear that they would push her down in the shower or make her slam her head into the shower wall. There was no fear, no sadness, nothing. She was free. For the first time in seven months, she was free.

After Tatum felt she had washed away all the salt and oil, she dressed as quickly as she could and tucked the strands of her choppy hair behind her ears. She hurried out of the bathroom and was startled to find Murphy waiting for her on the landing, with a sweater in his arms. His hair was matted to his head from the rain that was falling in a gentle drops and she was struck by how handsome he really was. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she bit down into her bottom lip as nervousness hit her system. Here was a man that had heard the demons make her say the most awful things, had seen them make her beg for any and all of them to fuck her, had stood in front of her while they pulled her shirt up and played with her breasts. Tatum's cheeks flushed at all the memories started to flow through her.

" Hi." She said quietly.

" Hello. It's cold. You should wear this." Murphy said, holding out his sweater.

" Oh, thanks. I just need to throw these old clothes out." She said.

" I will handle that. You put this on." Murphy said. She reached out and handed off her clothes then took his shirt.

" So what are we really going to do?" She asked, thrusting her arms into the sleeves of the sweater.

" While you were sleeping, we build a big box. We will take the mirrors off the frames and wheels, place them in the box, seal it then bury it." Murphy said, watching as she pulled his shirt over her head.

" Where?" She asked.

" Father McMalloy has a blessed a bit of our land. We will bury it there. That way, we can always watch over the site and be sure the box is never uncovered." Murphy said.

" Can we bury those clothes with the box?" Tatum asked.

" Aye, Lass. If that's what you want." He said.

" Yeah. It is." She said with a small smile.

" Than we will." He said, offering her one of his arms.

_* I hope no one is disappointed!*_


	19. Chapter 19

_* Please Review!*_

Tatum watched with her arms hugging her chest and her hands buried in the sleeves of Murphy's sweater as she watched the men carefully lift each mirror and place it in the box the brothers had built early that day. Father McMalloy was praying over the box and each mirror as it was lowered wooden coffin. Large wooden blocks were placed on the corners of the mirrors to help with the weight of each frame. Even though the angel promised that none of them could be hurt by the demons, they still didn't want them to escape and be able to hurt anyone else.

After the box was sealed up with nails the priest had blessed, Murphy, Connor, Duce and Brian picked it up and started out of the barn. Father McMalloy was reading passages from the bible with one of Tatum's hand tucked around his arm. They walked behind the men, out of the barn and around to the back of it, where the blessed patch of land was. A hole was already dug and waiting for them.

After the box was set down, Murphy and Connor hopped down into the hole then held their arms up. The other four helped pick it back up and lower it down to the twins who carefully set it in the center of the hole. Afterwards, they climbed out and the hole was covered. They stood around the freshly turned over ground while it was blessed a second time. Murphy lowered his head but didn't close his eyes. He watched Tatum through his eyelids, watched as her shuddered in his sweater, curled up against her dad. He watched as she closed her eyes to listen to the prayer. Again, images started to flow through him. The date, the first I love you's, the proposal, wedding and the babies. She could be his future. She could be his wife, the mother of his children, she could give him everything he wanted for himself, if he did as the angel said.

Back in the cabin, Murphy and Brian quickly changed their clothes while Connor built a fire in the fire place and Duce started to make coffee. Tatum was sitting on the old couch, cuddled up in Murphy's sweater and under a blanket, talking quietly with the priest. Duce would finish the coffee, heat up some stew for them, then everyone wanted to talk to her. The priest had unlimited questions and now that she was free, she felt at ease to talk about what had happen.

" You said you heard her voice? The angels?" Brian asked once everyone was back in the ground level of the cabin, sitting either on the couch, in a rocker or on the floor. The stew had been heated and now everyone had a bowl of it, with Murphy having spooned out hers and handing it over to her. Now he was sitting on the floor, staring up at her as she blew on her spoon.

" Yeah. There were times when that voice, the angel I guess, she would stop me from seeing and feeling what they were doing. She would tell me stories. Everything would go black and all I could hear was her." Tatum said before slipping the spoon into her mouth.

" But there was times when you knew what was happening around you?" The priest asked. Tatum nodded, looking to her left where he sat. She swallowed the broth from the stew and sighed at the taste.

" Yeah, " She said when she could talk again. " There were times when I knew what was going on, when I could hear them making me say things. I could feel what was happening, and see it. Other times, my memory is just blank. There is just nothing. I would feel them coming on, then nothing but her voice until they left."

" And when they weren't taking you over, you said they talked to you?" Duce asked, pulling her attention to where he sat in his rocker, to the right of her dad.

" At first, yeah. They would whisper to me but after about three months they stopped. I mean, they would taunt me every so often now but when they first came to me, they talked almost non-stop. It was horrible." She said.

" Have you had any blank memory spots since being here?" Duce asked.

" There are a few but not as many as before. I had more dreams with the angel than I did before." She said with her cheeks starting to turn a slight red. Both Connor and Murphy exchanged quick glances.

" Dreams, you say?" Connor asked, making her bite into the bottom, left side her lip. " What kind of dreams?" He asked. Tatum dropped her eyes to her bowl and started to stir the stew while she shrugged.

" Just dreams." She muttered before scooping up some of her dinner. Brian put his hand on her back and started to rub it with a smile.

" Maybe it's time you slept. You have had a rough time and I think you will finally be able to have a restful sleep." He said.

" No way!" Connor said excitedly. They looked up at him in surprise. " It's your birthday and I'd say you have earned yourself the right to have a good time. Let me and my brother take you out." The smile that spread across her face was bright and made Murphy's heart race as he started to smile too.

" Aye. We know of a nice, quiet bar we could go too." He offered.

" Why that does sound like fun, can I take a rain check? I think my dad is right. I think I need to sleep. I'm dead tired." Tatum said.

" You still take my bed, my room. Tomorrow is a new day for us all." Duce said.

Later that night, long after the sun had set, the brothers found themselves sitting on the porch steps, smoking slowly. Neither one had spoken yet to the other. Connor had found his brother outside and joined him. Murphy was leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, staring off into the darkness so Connor leaned back, letting his elbows take on most of his upper body weight. Every so often their right arms came up, bring their hands and smokes to their mouths as they inhaled at the same time. The silence stretched out until Connor couldn't take it anymore. He pushed himself up and let his arm come to rest against Murphy's back.

" You think she had the same dreams?" He asked.

" Aye." Murphy asked.

" You gonna ask her than?" Connor asked. Murphy made a sound like a chuckle as he shook his head and glanced over his shoulder.

" And say what?" He asked, looking straight ahead again. A small light from inside the cabin leaked out onto the porch from behind the boys. " Excuse me, Lass, but were those dreams about me and us having sex? Did you dream about a life with me?" Connor pulled away from Murphy, laughing.

" Might be funny to see your face if she says no." Connor said.

" But I wouldn't say no." Tatum said, startling the boys. They both turned so they were facing each other but looking back at her.

" What is that, Love?" Connor asked. Her eyes never left Murphy's face as she stood by the closed door to the cabin. Her hands were inside Murphy's sweater and she was holding her arms against her stomach.

" I had dreams about you, starting from the moment I saw you the first time, in the barn." She said.

" About me?" Murphy asked.

" I think I'm feeling tired." Connor said, standing up quickly. He tossed out his smoke then patted his brother's head. " Good luck." He said before hurrying across the porch. When he reached Tatum, he leaned in and kissed her cheek, with her not acknowledging him at all. He grabbed the door knob and started in. Tatum waited until the door was shut before she spoke.

" About you." She confirmed.

" Like what?" Murphy asked. Tatum rubbed her lips together and slowly shrugged her shoulders.

" Different things. Sometimes we were just walking around out here, talking. Sometimes we were in the town. Sometimes we were alone and sometimes not." She said. Murphy twisted and started to raise.

" I dreamed about your death." He said, dropped his smoke down into the tin can they kept on the porch.

" I saw it too. You buried me with your rosary." She said.

" Aye, on the hill." He said.

" My dad killed himself." Tatum said as she watched the Irishman make his way towards her.

" I saw you saved." He said.

" I did too." She said, dropping her arms down at her sides. Inside the sleeves on the sweater, her fingers worked against the fabric nervously. She bit down into her bottom lip to try and not smile at him out of nervousness. " You asked me out."

" Aye. You accepted." He said, knowing he wasn't going to stop walking until he reached her.

" I did." That brought the smile out and made him smile. " You kissed me." That time, Murphy grinned. He brought his hand to his chin and started to rub it.

" Aye. You accepted that as well." He said. The nervousness melted as she laughed.

" I did." She repeated.

" And now, would you accept it? If I kissed you now, then asked you out, would you accept both?" He asked, bring his hands up to lightly touched her hips.

" I would." She admitted.

And that was all he needed. His hand came up and tunneled through her hair until he reached the back of her neck. He gently pulled her into him, being mindful that her body was still sore, still bruised from her ordeal. His other arm started to circle her waist as he titled his head. Both their eyes shut a second before their lips touched.

Electricity shot through them both, starting with the touch of their tongues. As he twisted and almost curled around her tongue, deep inside her mouth, Murphy pressed her against his body. She breathed out and placed her hands on the top of his shoulders. Her fingers climbed out the sleeves of the sweater and crawled along him until they reached his neck. He almost growled as she touched his skin and crushed her against him harder. He turned them and forced her to walk backwards as they made out in a painfully close pace. They walked until the cabin hit her back. Her arms moved so they were around his neck. Their breaths mingled together, hitting each others cheeks hard.

" Tatum." Murphy whispered when he let her go so she could take a deep breath. He kissed the side of her mouth, loving how quickly she turned her head to try and caught his lips again. " About that dinner and drink."

" Yes." She whispers.

" Tomorrow?" He whispered.

" Yes. Now will you just kiss me again?" She asked. Murphy chuckled but glad gave in to her request.

_* So Im not one to just carry on a story for the sake of carrying it on. I think that to much, to many chapters, can ruin a good story. But I do want to make this a part two, showing the progress of Tatum's and Murphy's relationship while bring Connor someone as well. I'm thinking of a plot, some drama but if anyone has ideas, PM me. I am also thinking of how to end my Blade story but I'm stuck, I will figure it out but it might take me a bit. I hope you guys like this story!_


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